Endure One More Hindrance
by DarkenDepths
Summary: SetoxTea, After Kaiba lost his first love Mokuba gets Tea to help him forget but can she snap him back into reality? She isn't looking to replace his first love but can she at least save him from his despair? Hilarious but also Suspenseful
1. Reconstruction of the Soul

Endure One More Hindrance

I'm writing this as I'm sitting on a washing machine in the Laundromat. I'm sitting because the last time I left it someone stole all of my clothes. So prepare yourself for errors galore.

First off I'm going to try my hand at a hurt/comfort or romance/general. This can stand by itself or be read as a sequel. Please don't judge me too badly... Females rule this site not guys like me so go easy on me, I'm already on the ground and bleeding.

If you already know me as a writer skip down to the disclaimer if you don't read below please:

If you are new to my new stories I must tell you I'm no longer DeepCerulean. She has left leaving this broken soul to write out her old dreams.

Know that I update fairly quickly and my standard is that it has to be at least a thousand words for me to accept it.

I place myself into the words so if you find something out of character that means I added too much of myself into it. I know I don't fit into his character but by personality it's as close as a guy like me can get.

I'm trying ok? If you want to you can yell and hate me.

Summary: SxT, after the lost of his love can he recover? Mokuba gets Tea to help him but can she snap him back into reality? She will never replace his first love but she can save him from his despair. In aiding the fallen Kaiba will Tea gain some unwanted feelings?

I'll try to update every weekend. If I should fail to do so on the weekends then you know that I'm trying to live without that hindrance in my life.

Reader replies from the Prequel:

Violent Light: I find it strange that you're reading this… I find it weird that you even read…

Anyways… How can I trust you on that? You go through girls faster than I go through Kleenex boxes. Even when you decide to leave they still like you. How's that possible? I was with her for years and she hates me… Why can't I get back my cell? God can't be that cruel, now tell me who has it.

Disclaimer: I don't own M&M's just because I love them, don't own YGO, don't even own this rose I'm nibbling on. No I'm not a rabbit I just like eating roses… I know weird and psychotic…maybe that's why she left?

Now on to the story:

* * *

Time passed but who was he to care? Staring out at the world that turned his back on him he brushed his fingertips against the ice cold glass to remind himself that he still felt. Glancing briefly up at the bright blue sky with its shining hub he blinked from the light.

Wanting to forget, wanting to let go he stood still and let the world pass him by hoping that time would let it heal.

_At least Mokuba thought so. Time heal these pains pffth I doubt it. She's gone what is left? Me that's what. Now Mokuba left as well. Australia was it? Why Australia of all places? This house has never seemed so cold so desolate… Silence, never has the sound seemed so deafening in my ears as it does now._

Sighing Kaiba decided to sit at his desk about to wander in his memories once again when he saw the red blinking light on his phone. Seeing that his younger brother had left him a message from this morning he punched in the blue button and waited.

"Seto? Hi, it's me Mokuba, your little brother if you have forgotten. I really thought that leaving you alone would be healthy for you rather than having me play mother over you. That was what three months ago, I left? I don't even know if you're alive anymore. Seriously, you don't answer my calls, don't respond to your pager, never E-mailed back or showed up at work. What are you? Who are you? I don't know you anymore, big brother…

Groaning Kaiba got up and flopped onto his bed. _He's just going to keep up this rant of his again. Yeah, like I'm going to reply._

"Have you even been eating? I'm probably talking to a corpse," Mokuba questioned then muttered before continuing, "So in my doubt I came back to Domino yesterday night and hired someone to take care of you. She'll be arriving by today so look forward to it. Love you big bro please be ok. I pray that she doesn't find your body on the floor and all skeletony."

_He should know that I can take care of myself. I'm fine. Actually when had been the last time I've eaten? Maybe two days ago… Last time I jumped into the shower? Two days ago… _He paused in his thoughts to look down at himself.

_Back then I would've been repulsed but now… I don't know how I feel… Gritty that's how to describe it. Wait, she's coming today? Shit…_

But instead of rushing off to wash himself, dress appropriately, and eat Kaiba simply laid on his bed in his underclothes looking lazy and haggard. It was only noon and he had pasta two days ago so he figured that he should just sleep.

* * *

"Why did Mokuba ask me to do this? Wait didn't he say something like," she began mimicking Mokuba's voice, "He'll heal better on his own. Hush, I know what I'm doing. He's my brother who would know more than his own flesh and blood? Really trust me on this. He heals best when he locks himself away and learns how to bottle it all up. No, don't applaud my genius just let it roll."

Tea mimicked the boy's haughty tone badly and sighed inwardly. "Just because he older than you doesn't mean he's stronger especially at this point… Now the kid's asking me to feed his brother while he's gone. Mokuba makes it sound as if Kaiba is some kind of pet. The way the things on this list are written seems to make it as if I'm taking care of someone's pet while they are on vacation. This seems a bit nuts…"

'List of Care Items

Feed at least twice a day.

Make sure shampoo until hair is glossy.

Try to clip his nails (be careful he scratches)

Brush his teeth if needed (be careful he bites…)

Place in exercise room or let him run outside at least three times a week

Remember to make him get the mail

Once in a while throw in a compliment or two. Say something like good job or whatever.

Thanks Tea!'

"I hope this is a joke. I mean I remember Kaiba succumbed to a coma once but he's just depressed so he can still function… I hope…"

Inwardly the girl felt sympathy towards him. _First off the two things he considered 'right' in his life left him. Just when he had just begun to show a semblance of a heart she died. Then Mokuba had college to go to and after a while everyone in Domino went all over because they had other lives to live. Joey moved to Osaka or something to settle down with Mai. Tristan and Miho moved to Okinawa and have kids now. Duke has gone missing for a while now. Yugi and his other half have improved the Kame Game shop and have moved to a bigger lot and the two are incredibly busy running it. Isis went back to Egypt leaving her three brothers here to go to college. Then Bakura and Ryou went back to London for some reason I can't recall. The only reason I'm back in Domino is because I couldn't keep up in Julliard. Now I have to live with Kaiba…_

* * *

-Flashback-

Sitting on a bench and miserably down in the dumps Tea contemplated how to get a place to stay. She had spent all of her savings on her lifelong dream just to find out in the end that she wasn't wanted. Out of the blue she saw someone she recognized deeper in the park.

"Mokuba!"

Running and shouting out his name she was gasping for breath when she got to him.

Standing up glumly he greeted, "Hi, Tea. What's up?"

When the brunette finally regulated her breathing she answered hoarsely, "I now have nowhere to stay, you?"

"You know you shouldn't be running with so many bags hanging off of yourself…"

"Say, you look down. What's wrong? Did something happen to Kaiba?"

Mokuba scrunched up his nose about to answer when he lifted his head and grinned brightly upon reaching a grand revelation.

"Since you don't have anywhere to stay can I make you an offer?"

Looking at the kid suspiciously Tea gestured him to continue.

"You can stay at my house. Meanwhile I go to college. I promise you it's a good place to live. It's stocked with food, has a pool, dance studio," Mokuba began counting off his fingers.

"What's the catch? It seems too good without a sacrifice," Tea interrupted.

The raven haired teen nibbled on his lower lip and murmured, "You only need to take care of Seto. Here's the keys, list of needs, address, and a Ben. Thank you Tea bye!"

-End Flashback-

_

* * *

_

_That is why I'm here looking after an old enemy… Ok, so he and the others can get along and to me he wasn't so bad but I still can't understand how my friend ever came to love him. He seems so cold and distant even now when the rest of us mellowed out he stayed the same except maybe he showed a different side to her. Like how he smiles and laughs with Mokuba. I haven't seen him since the funeral though… I wonder if he's still that silent brooding statue…. Well, Mokuba said to come here in the afternoon… Strange he has specific instructions for today. _Tea thought staring up at the manor then down at the list resting in her palm.

Tea cautiously slid the key into the intricately designed door of the mansion and entered. Taking her shoes off at the door and placing her bags down she closed the giant entrance while her blue eyes scanned the list.

_How did he write all of this? That's probably what he was doing sitting in the park. He planned this from the start! That little devious monkey…_

"So what does it say? Pick up small canister and shake it while walking around the house? What good does that do? It says here the sound will attract the Seto…" Tea popped the lid of the canister and spilled some of the substance onto her hand.

"M&M's? Wait, doesn't Kaiba like chocolate? Mokuba, that kid how does he… He's too involved with other matters to do anything else… Taking care of the press, running Kaiba corp. in his brother's absence, and chasing after the love of his life he's too busy to care… Poor Kaiba here is left to his own demise. Trapped in this marble cold prison," Tea mumbled to herself.

Walking around the house caught up in her rambles she smashed her face into something towel-like. Trying to back away she found hands on her shoulders holding her upright.

"Why are you here?"

As she looked up to meet his eyes she saw that he had already turned away.

"Kaiba?"

Turning his hollowed eyes to her he seemed to see through her like air. A soft grunt in reply was all she gained. His eyes even though she had only seen for brief moments were like dark wells, wounds of the soul that showed nothing but pain. All Tea could do was wonder why.

"Why are you here?"

"I…"

"You should be in New York," he muttered pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"I wasn't accepted," she looked down at the ground ashamed face but feeling odd that he knew.

"If you are looking for a place to stay this isn't a good place," he muttered taking the canister from her and downed the colorful candies. Chewing the chocolate he shuffled away in his bathrobe and slippers sipping his coffee with the candy.

"If I want to stay?"

"Choose a room in the right wing," he pointed down the hall then flopped onto the couch and tossed the empty mug onto the carpet were thirty six other mugs laid.

Tea stood by the entrance to the kitchen before picking up the empty cup and placed it on the table but simply stared at the rest of the mugs with a sort of wonderment.

"What are you waiting for? She isn't going to come back," Tea tried to rile him. Any feeling in him was better than that cold indifference.

"…I know she isn't. Still I'll wait," his voice dripped into a low whisper as he draped his arm over his eyes.

"What do you wait for Kaiba?" Tea stood next to him, her arms crossed against her chest staring down at him.

"Hnnn?"

What do you wait for just laying around here day in and day out? What do you gain from this?"

_Why is she going on about this? Is she purposely aggravating me? She's just looking for trouble. Not that I would hit her but I'm tempted…_

Faster than she calculated Kaiba got to his feet and stood before her. A menacing presence he was even though he was clad in blue silk pajamas under a black bathrobe and fuzzy dark blue slippers.

"All I'm doing is killing time. In turn I gain life and that is all I need for this moment."

"You state you aren't waiting but yet you stay imprisoned here. Why do you hang over her memory as if she'll come back?"

"How are you to understand?"

_How can she understand what I'm going through? How can she possibly know? _

"I may not understand your pain but I do know that Serenity wouldn't have wanted you to live out your life clinging onto her and using her as an excuse to lock yourself from the world."

"I'm not using her as an excuse," he turned on his heel but before he could leave Tea pulled him back by his arm.

"Then tell me this. How long has she been gone?"

Without looking back he robotically answered, "Three years, ten months, seven days, thirty two minutes, and forty…."

"How many seconds?"

"I'll be in my office," taking his arm from Tea he strode off.

"I'm beginning to regret my decision…"

* * *

So how is it? Pretty horrible right? I picked this out from a time where one of my friends came into my apartment and tired to lure me out of my room using Reese's peanut butter cups…

I better start studying. After finals they've been throwing homework at us right and left. I'll try to update tomorrow. If I don't then you know I've got too much homework to do.

I wish I had someone to snap me back into reality back in those times…

Please Leave a Review with your Thoughts

Now is where you can yell at me.


	2. Pirates and Dinner

I'm sorry this chapter is a bit late. Five hours at least but here it is. I hope it satisfies you and if it doesn't please skip the whole story and yell if you like. Just leave a note that you came and hated it.

I don't know what the fanciful life is nor do I dream of it so I spent an hour talking to someone of higher social class than myself to learn of how living at their house was like. She also helped me describe stuff so thank you Lin, thank you.

Reviewer Replies:

DayDreamer211: Thank you for complimenting me. I'm glad you like it so far.

The-hinotori: Thank you as well. Strange how you think it's very good.

R0gue lebeau: Now you said it was awesome. So you're totally awesome. Thanks.

Violent Light: You really do insist on tailing me... I think readers should know a bit about the person writing it. I won't tell you who Tea stands for. You're just going to go after her then whenever I say your name she'll gaze off and look away from me. All the girls who I know that have met you are like hypnotized... And where is my cell? I know you know where it is. So tell me I can deal with the person who has it so tell me.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, I don't own Captain Crunch just because I like it, Butterfingers, instant macaroni and cheese, nor do I own this computer.

* * *

Where we left off…

"I'm really regretting my decision… Maybe I should try to go rent a storage compartment and go live in it. But Mokuba…" Looking down at the list and keys he had given her in his trust she built up her resolve. Picking up her bags she decided to go find a nice room.

* * *

Next morning:

Waking with the dawn's early light she noticed that the room wasn't anything close to the apartment she had in New York. The light blue walls with the simple white trimming looked plain but with the fine white draperies and the furniture that furnished it made the room look like a type of junior suit. Throwing off the sheets Tea remembered that this was Kaiba's place and that she was supposed to take care of him…_even though it doesn't seem necessary_. Sifting through her small duffle bag she pulled out some clothes and stepped into the adjoining bathroom. Rubbing the sand from her eyes as she blearily flicked on the light she didn't notice the glamour before her until after she placed her clothes on the counter.

Tea wanted to squeal like a little girl and run in small circles but she restrained herself. Instead the brunette ran her hand along the rim of the marble bath. The white marble was cool to the touch and as smooth as satin and tempted her to take a bath but she willed herself to use the shower tub with the sliding glass door instead.

After taking her shower and brushing her teeth Tea went back to her room and made her bed.

_I wonder if Kaiba had breakfast_… She thought as she went downstairs and into the kitchen. Kaiba was drinking yet another mug of coffee.

"Did you eat breakfast yet?"

He simply shook his head. Frowning a bit Tea searched the cabinets for cereal.

After finding bowls, cups, plates, and other things you eat with food she resigned to ask the master of the house.

"Kaiba, can you show me where the cereal is please?"

Not answering he walked over to her and opened a cabinet that she was going to search next then without a word he walked back to where the coffee machine was spitting out more coffee.

"Thank you," Tea said cheerfully as she pulled out a cereal box.

Turning to him she shook the box and asked, "Do you want some cereal?"

Looking at the ground and in a low voice he answered, "Serenity used to eat cereal…"

_Darn it! I made him depressed… Wait…_

"Kaiba, everyone eats cereal. Actually maybe just you don't."

"She liked that one. The one with the pirate…"

"That just means that she had good tastes in cereal. Captain Crunch is good; look at the artificial colors and flavors! You can practically taste the goodness already," Tea waved the red box of cereal in his face before getting out a bowl and some milk to eat the cereal.

"Are you sure you don't want any?"

Kaiba just shook his head and poured himself another cup of coffee.

"You said you didn't eat breakfast. I didn't see you eat anything yesterday either so when was the last time you ate something? Kaiba," Tea looked at him from across the small meal preparation table.

"I had pasta three days ago," he huffed, "Why?"

"Three days?!" Tea stared at him aghast.

"It had cheese mixed with it."

"…You ate Mac and cheese three days ago and you aren't the least bit hungry?"

Kaiba shook his head and sipped the coffee slowly while looking at her.

"You just drink coffee all day… Inhuman bastard," Tea muttered with her head down over her cereal.

He smirked at her but suddenly she dumped more cereal into her bowl and before he could react or even comprehend the situation Tea shoved him into a chair and placed the bowl of Captain Crunch's finest before him. Kaiba of course tried to get away but as he got up she grabbed him by his shirt collar and forced him back into his chair.

"Kaiba, eat breakfast. I won't let you leave if you don't finish."

"Don't you think you're being," he began.

"Don't make me shove it up your ass, now eat the cereal."

"Won't that be a bit messy," Kaiba said only to get a glare in return. Unwilling to fight against the woman he grudgingly ate the sugary cereal.

* * *

Fifteen Minutes of Torture Later:

"I apologize for forcing it down your throat but," Tea turned around to see a missing Kaiba and the door of a far off door slam.

"Great now he'll lock himself in there all day without his coffee…"

Two days passed without seeing even a glimpse of Kaiba so Tea decided to take advantage of the indoor pool. After frolicking in the warm waters and taking a cleansing shower she stepped into the living room to find the lord of the manor lying on his back on his couch tossing his ring at the ceiling and catching it just to throw it up once again.

"Finally I see you."

At the sound of Tea's voice he turned his head and looked at her as she dried her hair with a towel.

"Why, were you actually worried about me?"

He went back to throwing and catching his ring.

"Not really, after I found out that there was less and less cereal left when I hadn't been eating it I figured that either rats got in or you're still alive."

As Kaiba let out a soft grunt in reply Tea looked him over.

"You finally decided to change your clothes. Hopefully showered as well, not that I hadn't mind your musky smell…"

"Meh," was all he said.

"Just so you know I'm going to cook dinner tonight instead of going out so you can join me if you feel up to it."

Tea was about to go make herself a sandwich when she heard his voice calling out to her.

"What are you cooking?"

"I noticed this hunk of beef in the fridge and some potatoes so roast beef with a bit of luck."

"What's for lunch?"

"You are going to eat lunch?" Tea had now turned back and looked at him skeptically.

"I don't see anything wrong with that."

Tea pretended to be mad and waved her finger in the air, "I'm only supposed to feed you twice a day you know?"

Raising an eyebrow Kaiba inquired, "Says who?"

"Says your brother," Tea folded up the list that she had crumpled inside of her pocket and threw it at him, "Anyways, I'm making ham sandwiches, want one?"

"Please," was all he said as he caught the note and read it.

"Oh…"

Tea poked her head out from the kitchen hearing the long winded sigh.

"What's wrong, Kaiba?"

"This is the schedule he made up and wrote on that white board. He makes it sound as if," Kaiba began.

"A pet I know. He's just worried about you."

"Yeah, so much that he sent you to take care of me so called," Kaiba muttered walking into the kitchen.

Tea glared at him but it went unnoticed, "Is that supposed to be downgrading?"

Sitting down at the small round food preparation table he answered, "Not necessarily. I mean you have other things to do rather than 'taking care' of me. I can fend for myself."

"Sure, say that to the person who crammed cereal down your throat and made you addicted to it," Tea teased placing his sandwich in front of him.

"I'm not addicted to that crap floating in cow juices but thanks for the sandwich."

Tea crinkled her nose, "Do you have to make cereal sound so horrible? I may never eat cereal again because of you."

Kaiba stopped munching on his lunch, "That's good then, more for me."

* * *

Several Hours Later:

He stood in front of the big dining table wondering if he should set it up. Then looking at the small round table in the kitchen he decided to throw a tablecloth on it with some eating utensils and called it good.

"What's that?" Kaiba pointed at the container Tea had been shaking.

"It's the salad," she continued shaking it then looking over at Kaiba who was doing nothing she thrusted it into his hands.

Noticing the look he gave her Tea let out a sigh, "Shake it for two minutes then dump it into that bowl. I need to take out the beef. Don't give me that look. Just be happy that I didn't decide to let you starve tonight."

Grumbling he shook the salad and tossed it into the bowl.

"Gardener, what else should I do?"

"You want to help? Just take the salad and bowl of mashed potatoes and put them onto the table, thanks."

"Where's the gravy?"

"There weren't ingredients for good gravy."

"There's a powder packet in the cabinet. What's wrong with that?"

"It tasted like cardboard but it's in the bowl by the sink if you want it…"

"No thanks," Kaiba shuffled off with the bowls of food. As soon as he placed them down on the table Tea staggered in carrying the platter of roast beef.

Kaiba noticed her stumbling, "Want some help?"

"It's ok," Tea moved towards the table just in time since instead of falling onto the floor it rolled into the bowl of potatoes.

"Nice, a slab of cow flesh rolled in crushed root sauce…"

Tea decked him with the platter left in her hands.

* * *

Later on…

Kaiba slowly cut up the beef and chewed on it, "It's good."

"Shut up," Tea pouted and glowered at him.

"Why don't you eat something?"

After a few minutes Tea relented.

"…Fine," she muttered then mulled over her choices. _The meat covered in root sauce as he put it or the salad. I'll eat the salad; he'll think I'm dainty._

Brightening up she filled her plate with the salad and munched on it happily.

_She's eating that whole plate of salad?_

"Kaiba?"

He looked up at Tea for a brief moment then continued eating, "Hnnn?"

"Eating dinner with you is kind of awkward…"

"You think you are the only one who feels like that?"

But before Tea could retort Kaiba mumbled, "The potatoes are actually good without the gravy."

"Thanks…"

Kaiba suddenly rushed his words, "Do you think you can do the laundry for me?"

Tea looked past the roast to meet his dark eyes, "Oh? All of those compliments just led to this favor?"

Kaiba ignored the jest, "The last time I touched the machine suds went everywhere…"

"What did you do?"

Kaiba shook his head, "Don't misunderstand. I can use them but when Mokuba decided to buy these discount ones for reasons unknown foam started coming out of the lid every time I used it… Besides I dry-clean most of my clothes…"

"So you want me to do the laundry? Are you stating that," Tea started.

"It's not what you think… I'll wash the dishes if you do the laundry. Deal?"

Tea stared at the man sitting across from her. "When has Kaiba stopped making demands and started making deals?"

"Ever since he got tired of arguing useless arguments he isn't going to win. Now are you going to eat that whole bowl of salad?"

"I'm trying to be dainty," Tea muttered through a lettuce leaf.

"No, you're being horse-like. Trade plates with me. I want the last of the salad and I know you want the last of the potatoes and meat."

"…Fine here's your salad."

_How is eating salad being dainty? Strange woman…_ Kaiba was eating the salad and was actually feeling quite pleased with it. Then root paste flew into his eye. Not bothering to swipe it off he looked up at Tea who was giggling like mad. He had that questioning gaze that a squirrel has after you steal its Butterfinger. That look that inquires 'What did you do that for? I thought we were friends.'

Tea fired another spoonful but instead of hitting him in the forehead like she planned he caught it. Instead of hurling it back at her childishly Kaiba instead strode over to her and before she knew what was going on she was thrown over his shoulder and hauled away.

Seeing their destination she punched his back and cried out, "Kaiba! I'm sorry. Don't throw me in the pool!"

Without answering he was about to throw her into the pool but just as he threw her he slowed his arm down so that she was just clinging onto his arm for dear life it seemed.

"Apologize."

"I'm sorry; I won't throw potatoes at you! Just don't drop me…"

Heaving out a sigh he caught her before she fell and placed her standing by the pool. Not registering the fact that she was behind him he turned his back on her to have her tackle him. Grinning maliciously she didn't think she'd get caught but as soon as she shoved him he grabbed onto her wrist and spun her into him. Feeling his breath against her ear she knew what was coming next but the last thing she heard before the splash was:

"Payback..."

Both regretted their actions and were soaked to the bone. Shivering like mad they walked back into the hall.

"Don't…do…th...th…that…a…again…kuh…kuh…Kaiba..."

"Sh…sh…sure…"

"Se…see you… at…buh…buh…breakfast…"

Kaiba nodded furiously and they both returned to their own rooms to get out of their wet clothing.

* * *

Sorry it was late. Major apologies!

The Captain Crunch scene was actually a real deal believe it or not.

The washing machine deal was when I poured too much soap into the already broken washer so suds filled the room. Land owner kicked me out after that…

The pool thing was something I witnessed at the last party in CA, my friend flicked dinner at this guy and he wanted to throw her into the pool but then decided not to because she was crying then she pushed him to have them both fall in. I taped it. (Insert smiley face here)

The next one will hopefully up on time.

Please leave a thoughtful review.


	3. Shattered Lightning

I'm deciding to slip in as much humor as I possibly can before it turns dark so enjoy the sunlight while it lasts. I don't know what I'm going to do about the pairing just so you know. I have to go to the ski bowl today so I'll try to post this today. Today is Saturday. If this is posted on Saturday then I have done a good job.

Disclaimer: All I own is the plotline, the odd scenarios, and such. I don't own YGO, Crunch bars, Coco-Cola, Bleach, or the love for thunder storms.

Reader Reviews:

Mimi: I'm glad you like the storyline so far. This story is different? Well, I haven't really read any other ones so thank you for thinking so.

Random Person: I don't know what to do about the pairings. It would fit if they got together though. Thanks for the inspiration.

R0gue lebeau: Glad you liked it. I'll try my best to make it stay this good.

Violent Light: Glad you like it but… Please, answer your E-mail so I can stop using this site to talk to you. You aren't with Deane anymore. She was the last one with the whiny tone of voice that complained that you spent more time snowboarding than hanging out with her. You are with Kylie and I don't really know her. See this is why I can't trust your advice on women man. You go through them quicker than I go through boards. It's cruel how they still like you even after you leave them. You're just…impossible. That and God officially hates me. I liked that phone… I guess stealing the yellow visual outlet from Brian's Wii was a bad idea. About her…I know she can kill me but at least then I'll meet her again, right?

* * *

Actual story starts here:

"There are no more Crunch bars…"

"I thought that you are supposed to be exercising three times a week not sitting around eating chocolate…"

Kaiba merely frowned at the omelet eating Tea, "I exercise…when I feel like it."

"At least try the omelet I made you. It's sprinkled with cheese," she grinned happily while eating her omelet trying to persuade him that it's good.

Kaiba poked it with his chopsticks until it flipped open sadly.

"It's a pancake…but without the flour and syrup…"

Tea growled across the table at him, "Stop acting like a tough critic and eat it before I shove it up your nose!"

"I'll eat the egg pancake," Kaiba responded blandly. Folding the omelet back he picked it up with his chopsticks, tilted his head back, and slid it down his throat.

Gawking at him Tea tried to form words, "Kaiba… You weren't supposed to use chopsticks and you were supposed to use something to cut it up…"

She continued to stare at him as if he had just swallowed a giant flat egg in one go.

"Conformist," he snorted at her, "That egg thing wasn't half bad can I have another?"

Few afternoons later:

_Wonder where Kaiba went… I haven't seen him all morning. I really don't see why Mokuba worried so much, Kaiba seems fine. A bit weird maybe but I think he's always been like that. He isn't attempting suicide or whatever like the tabloids announced…_

Tea walked down the corridors of plush white carpet. _He's probably in his office… He doesn't control Kaiba corp. anymore so what does he even do in there? You know what I hope I don't find a scary answer to that question. He could be trying to take over the world for all that I know. I'll just give him this cup of coffee and be on my way._

Abruptly a shattering sound was heard then a muffled thud followed it. What was that? Curious and worried the brunette began to walk faster down the hall. Arriving at his office door she was about to knock when she saw a puddle of blood form from underneath the door. _Tea calm down it could be something like wine you don't know if it's blood._ Then hearing the gasp of pain from the other side of the door and the thicker flow of blood Tea made up her own conclusions.

"Kaiba!" Just when I thought he wasn't one to commit suicide. Placing the coffee on a nearby stand she turned the knob to hear him shout to her.

"Tea, don't you dare open this door!"

"There's blood, Kaiba. I'm worried," Tea tried to explain as she clung to the door.

"If you open the door you'll just end up killing me so wait a second," all she heard next was the sound of him grunting and the breaking of glass.

"I thought that you were trying to kill yourself," Tea couldn't take her eyes off of the growing blood puddle.

"No, I was just did something completely idiotic and unneeded. Besides do I seem like the type of guy to enjoy cutting myself?"

_What could he possibly been doing to cause himself to bleed like this?_

"You sound as if you are pinned to the door…"

"I am. Do you mind getting the first aid kit in the kitchen? It's stuck to the wall."

Tea nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her. It was more to reassure herself than anything. "I'll be right back."

Empowered by adrenaline she ran in a full sprint for the kitchen and basically tore the white bow from the wall next to the fridge. Feeling her blood rush through her veins her hand shook as she opened the door slowly.

Kaiba was leaning against his desk and held onto his wrist. His breathing was ragged probably from freeing himself from the door but either than that he just looked a bit dazed as he stared at all of the broken shards of glass in the room.

"Kaiba?"

"Hnnn?"

"What did you do?"

"Something stupid… I'll tell you later but I need stitches…"

Tea rolled her eyes, "Where?"

_This is just like the adventures of Joey and Tristan all over again… But instead of those two it's Kaiba who I always deemed as intelligent… _

Pulling up a chair next to him she held out her hand.

"What, you can stitch it up?"

"Do you trust me?"

Shrugging he placed his wrist in her hand. "It's not as bad as it looks," Kaiba muttered.

Tea opened the white case and took out a syringe, a needle, and thread. "Can you move all of your fingers?"

Kaiba moved them but more blood just guzzled from the mouth of the cut.

"Lucky you, none of the tendons were cut. You should refrain from moving them too much though; you'll just bleed yourself silly."

Kaiba watched her thread the needle but he quickly bored of that.

"What happened?"

"…I was drinking."

"Alcohol doesn't cause glass to explode."

Kaiba pointed at the fan, "The fan is on."

"Fans and alcohol don't cause bloody Kaibas so what happened?"

"This house is old so the fan is lower than it should be. I was holding up the wine glass so I could see it in the light but it smashed into the fan and since I was close to the door the broken glass pinned my cuff to the door. I moved my arm and it cut me."

Tea scoffed, "Now, you know. Drinking isn't good for your health."

Kaiba looked at his now bandaged appendage and moved his fingers only for pain to shoot up his arm. Wincing he let his arm hang loosely by his side.

"That advice came a bit too late…"

Tea closed the case after putting everything away and getting a towel from it she began to pick up the glass.

Walking into the hall Kaiba was going to get another towel to help her but he was distracted by the coffee.

"You made me coffee…"

"Yeah, I thought that you might want some being trapped in your office," Tea answered dumping the glass into the trash.

"The blood stains won't come out…"

Frowning a bit Kaiba gestured for Tea to stay there. Minutes later he returned with a Coco-Cola can and popped the tab.

"I thought you didn't like soda…"

"Shut up and watch," Kaiba muttered as he poured Coco-Cola onto the bloodstains, "It takes about five minutes for the coke to dissolve the blood. I'll just use the carpet cleaner later to clean out the coke."

"…Kaiba?"

Seeing her questioning stare he explained, "Coco-Cola is the best thing there is for cleaning up blood."

Tea looked irked by the explanation.

"I don't know how you found that out but I'm not asking."

Kaiba drank the last sip of soda before tossing it. Tea just watched as the soda dissolved the blood.

"…Since you don't work anymore why are you even in here if you don't mind me asking?"

"I watch these," Kaiba turned the computer monitor to show her a clip of himself hanging outside of a helicopter with his finger pointed up at the sky, "I wonder how I managed not to lose the tip of my finger then… But besides from watching the old duels, there's Bleach on the internet, and wine over there. I know I'm a bored person you don't have to state it."

"What an interesting…life you lead…"

Inwardly Kaiba let out a sigh of relief. _She believed me. Of course she did what else is there to believe?_

* * *

_Where did he go? After he bled out in his office the guy practically vanished. He's probably in his room sleeping… It is the middle of the night after all Tea so where else could he be? _

Tea tried to reassure herself but the storm outside had frightened her. Jumping out of her bed at the last boom and crackle of thunder she stood there shaking like mad wondering what should she do. Abruptly another flash of light and a roaring boom made her cry out and run out of her bedroom and down the corridors where Kaiba's room was. Hand on the brass doorknob shaped like a roaring dragon Tea paused.

_What am I going to do? Ask him if I could stay with him?_ Another crack of thunder and Tea winced going into a crouch and became partially paralyze from the feeling of absolute fear.

_Why can't I get over this old fear? This is so stupid! I bet he's just going to laugh at me and call me a baby… _Then another flash lit up the halls giving them an eerie feel then loud rumble sounded as if it was right above her. _I'll sleep on his floor if I have to. _Tea built up her resolve and stepped into the dark room. The curtains leading to his balcony flew wildly, whipping back and forth like a mad spirit.

As Tea held onto the doorframe the flash of lightning lit up the entire room revealing how empty his bed was. The covers were rumpled but there wasn't a soul in the room.

…_where is he if he isn't in his room?_

Tea walked over to the empty bed and ran her hand over the covers reassuring herself he wasn't there. Tentatively she walked out onto his balcony looking up at the tumult sky. There was barely any drizzle of rain but the air was humid and sticky. She let out a sharp shriek and hid behind one of the chairs on his balcony as the lightning flash menacing.

"Gardener?"

_I swear I just heard Kaiba's voice…_

Tea looked around desperately to find that presence to talk to, to be near, and to forget that she was out on a balcony in the storm.

"Tea?"

_Where is he?_ She got up to look around but then a crack of lightning silhouetted a shadow on the roof and it frightened her. _Something more frightening than lightning is a dark stranger on the roof…_ Paralyzed completely her breath came out as ragged gasps and the sound of her pulse echoed in her ears drowning out all sound. Eyes wide she just watched the shadow on the roof.

"What are you doing on my balcony?"

Wondering where the disembodied voice of Kaiba came from she tried to form words but she just ended up stuttering but then she shouted, "Where are you?"

"You're looking at me. Pick up that chair you knocked over before you trip over it."

"You're on the roof…" The fear slowly faded from that realization.

The shadow on the roof shrugged, "So?"

"You…you crazy man," Tea tried to deafen her ears to the sounds of booming thunder by distracting herself with setting up the chair.

She was about to leave but curiosity got the best of her and she stepped onto the chair and Tea peered up on the roof. Seeing Kaiba's bare feet about two feet away the girl felt a bit more comfortable to know that he was there.

"Get down from the roof…it…it's dangerous up here," Tea shivered but not from the cold. Kaiba sat up and extended his hand down to her.

Instead of taking his hand she scolded him, "Kaiba, lay down what if you get struck by lightning?"

Kaiba merely scoffed at her, "Do you trust me?"

She hesitated but reached up and took his hand. As soon as she crawled up onto the rubber shingled roof she pressed herself against it, hugging the roof to press herself as flat as possible. Standing up he walked back to the spot he was laying on.

"Aren't you even slightly afraid of getting hit by lightning and getting burnt to a crisp?"

"No," he laid back down onto the blanket he must've put up here, "There are lightning rods up here for a reason. Besides this is the lowest roof I made sure of that."

Crawling to him she laid next to him looking up at the storm.

"Stupid woman."

Tea turned her head and looked at him, "What?"

Kaiba didn't say anything and instead they both stared up at the lightning.

"That one went into a full spiral. I didn't know they could do that," Tea traced the past image of the lightning with her finger. She obviously forgot that the storm frightened her.

"That one looks as if it hit the ground," Kaiba pointed.

Tea nodded; suddenly a loud crackle or lightning lit up the skies with its harsh light followed closely by the resounding boom of thunder.

"That one was really close…"

"I never looked up at the sky during a storm before," Tea trailed off staring up at the sky.

Stoically he spoke, "That's because you are afraid of them, right?"

Tea turned over to him and asked critically, "Hey, everyone has a fear so what if I'm afraid of them?"

Staring up at the storm, "I wasn't saying it like that…"

"Oh… What are you afraid of?"

The storm began and to reach and uproar as the lightning seemed to start at a greater speed. A light drizzle coated the two on the rooftop but for the most part it didn't rain.

"You already know the answer to that. Why bother asking?"

Tea opened her mouth to speak but Kaiba murmured softly, "The storm is ending."

"What do you mean? The storm is going at full force," Tea protested.

But just as he had predicted after three minutes the storm was snuffled out leaving behind in its wake the clear cloudless black night. "Wow… I've never seen the stars so clearly…."

"There's a reason why this manor is so far away from the city…"

"To you there's a great reason for everything," Tea pushed his shoulder playfully before looking up at the stars.

"I wish I knew their names. All of those constellations…I regret not taking that astrology class…"

"I can show them to you," Kaiba offered staring up at the skies.

"Really?"

Kaiba nodded and pointed across her to his left and she turned her head and looked.

"Capricorn is over there at this time of month and if I remember correctly then Pluto should be inside of it. If we stay up here until three am then we can watch the moon inside of Virgo square with the Mars in Gemini," he pointed at the moon and made a whooshing motion with his hand to show that the moon would move.

Tea giggled and stared at him.

"What?"

"I didn't know you like astronomy," she said simply.

"It's a personal hobby…"

"I can't even find the dipper and you're pointing out all of these things…"

Kaiba looked over at her and asked, "Can you even find the north star?"

"Of course I can it's there," Tea pointed at a bright star.

"It's there," He pointed to a star that wasn't as bright but almost above them, "The little dipper is attached to it."

Tea scrutinized the stars before connecting the stars, "Hey, I see it! Where's the big dipper?"

"The big dipper is the easiest one to see… It's to the side of the North Star. The two stars that make up the beginning of the big dipper are in a line pointing to the North Star," he explained.

"I see it… Wow…"

"You're excited about finding the North Star and the dippers?"

"Of course I am it's a new thing to me... Is this what you do at night Kaiba?"

Kaiba sat up and looked away from her, "To tell you the truth I was sleeping up here two hours after you bandaged my hand…"

Tea stared at him, "Doesn't the sun wake you?"

"I said that this was the lowest roof. The sun is blocked by those rooftops…"

Tea then realized something, "You weren't up here to watch the storm were you?"

"Nope I wasn't. When you woke me I was actually a bit surprised. I never stayed up here to look at storms either," he smirked at Tea, "I've always considered it a bit dangerous."

"Kaiba you…"

"I what?"

Glaring at him she wanted to hit him but on the inside somehow she felt grateful, "You brought me up here even though you knew it wasn't safe! You made me believe that it was safe!"

"Look on the Brightside we're alive aren't we?"

"We could've been burnt to crisps! What would you do if we had?"

"I wouldn't do anything. I would be a burnt crisp as you put it. Burnt crisps can't do much…"

Tea stood up and glowered at him darkly while he sat there. She was about to rush at him but then he faced away from her and said, "You trusted me. It took me five days to convince Serenity to join me up here and that was during the sunlit hours but you pushed your fears aside and took my hand… Funny how you trust me more than my wife had."

Tea grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and shook him madly, "You could've killed me! You mean mean person… Oh, yeah Serenity was afraid of heights wasn't she?"

Tea stared up at the night sky again feeling the adrenaline rush at looking at something so massive, inescapable.

"Yeah, she was...deathly afraid. Once she got up here she held me so hard I thought my brains would pop out."

Giggling softly from his comment Tea looked at him, "Now that I look back I realize how little I knew you even though I prided a little in knowing you more than the guys had."

"…They didn't know me so it's all right."

The two continued to stare up at the sky unbeknownst that the peace they had built with each other was about to change.

* * *

"I can't believe you got me kicked out of my own country! This is the worst thing you've ever done to me!" A man shouted to his twin brother as he stepped out of the plane.

"Ryou calm down. I'd said it was the second worst thing I've ever did. Really it can't be the worst. Just go back to stewing quietly in your mind like on the plane people are beginning to stare," Ryou's so called twin brother mentioned.

"How can I be calm and rational?! You burnt down a national worldwide treasure how can I stand by and accept that? I can forgive but this is something I just can't forgive Bakura! Now where are we supposed to live? I'm a bit surprised that they just banned us from the country instead of just locking you up…"

Ryou never wanted to physically harm someone before as to now. He wanted to strangle his yami and completely destroy him if it was possible.

"I heard that Kaiba still lives here…"

"Let's just hope he lets us stay. If he doesn't you are going to start selling your organs for money."

* * *

Yes, I finished typing this at 3 hurrah!  
Just so you know this is all hot off the press so if there's any errors can you point them out to me? I'd like to try and fix them...

I spent hours of my life writing this you can atleast spare an additional second saying yes or no.

Leave a thoughtful review please.


	4. Dancing Ramune With Foam

Again if this is posted on Sunday I've been a good guy. This chapter is given to me by Lindsay who wanted me to add a scene where Kaiba does martial arts and Tea dances... So I guess I'm doing that and Michelle wrote the lower half with Bakura but I censored some of her things. No offense but I can't have sex scenes this early.

I forgot to explain where the cup scene was from on the last chapter so here it is: I was supposed to toast my cousins on being married. I was standing by a fan and the glass shattered slicing into the back of my arm. Afterwards someone said, "Hey, if that cut into your wrist you would've needed stitches."

The storm deal: Lying on the fire escape outside my apartment window I looked up at the sky as it thundered and poured. Yup, I got soaked to the bone but who was to care if I caught a cold?

The rooftop deal: While everyone partied and danced inside of the house I was chosen to be a designated driver so I lay on the roof and contemplated my day. Call me a nerd for remembering the stars but that's about the only thing that held my interest in school. This girl decides to come up and join me and we chat. I pointed out what I saw and she professed that she didn't even know where the North Star was.

Review Replies:

DayDreamer211: Thank you. I try to make it realistic. That's what I strive for.

R0gue lebeau: I don't know if it was sweet but ok! Bakura will ensue most of the chaos so I hope you look forward to it.

The-hinotori: Nice flow... I thought it was kind of choppy but thank you for thinking so.

Violent Light: Yes, I used the cup incident. Thank you for finding it... entertaining. You seriously thought that I can't write, huh? I...I can't believe you. You use them and you don't even remember their names... And no she didn't almost kill me. There was a lot of blood I'll say that but it was an accident. Why do I want fish? I'm not going after fish Light... You really shouldn't compare a woman to fish.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, Ramune, the ideas about the dancing scene, the paragraph after 25 minutes later, or broken washers.

* * *

Crappy story music starts up and story begins…

Morning descended upon the Kaiba manor bringing happy chirping birds and the soft breeze of oncoming spring. The manor was peacefully quiet like nothing could go wrong.

_I made him breakfast but where is he? He knows that if he doesn't show up I'll just tackle him down and force feed it to him so where is he?_ Carrying a tray of food and coffee Tea wandered around on the first floor so called Kaiba's corridors as she so gleefully labeled them.

Hearing something that sounded akin to techno she walked in that direction. The doors eventually faded out and all there was was a hallway with great windows from a foot up from the floor to the ceiling letting in green sunlight that filtered through from the gardens. The hallways were dark blue in color but with the moving green lights from the outside world it looked mysterious as it changed colors and appeared to move.

Tea went into the gardens just once because the side dining room opened out to it but in her mind she had intentionally labeled it Kaiba's side of the house so that made it off limits.

The music grew louder as she walked down the hall but as Tea could feel the bass thudding at her feet a pair of double doors came into view. Walking up to the doors the girl hesitated before opening one slowly and set foot into the room.

There he was stern faced as always as he kicked and punched the air.

_This is what he does for exercise? He makes it look like a dance in a way with how he moves…_

Strangely graceful he pretended to punch his invisible opponent's face in, and then he swept out of the attack to deliver a kick in the air to yet another opponent before ducking down and sweeping his leg underneath the non-existent opponent's feet. Kaiba got up quickly to punch at the air again when he saw Tea standing there.

"Breakfast?"

"You look as if you forgot about eating," Tea said lightly.

Placing a hand behind his head and massaging his neck he said, "I didn't forget, I planned to put it off…"

"It's nine… It's almost time for lunch."

"Apologies?"

"Not accepted, here's your breakfast," Tea held it out to him but instead he went to turn off the blaring techno music.

"Don't turn it off. Just leave it on for me," Tea went to stand in the middle of the gym floor and waited for the next song to begin.

"Most of my cereal is gone," Kaiba mentioned to the half empty bowl as he sat down and crossed his legs.

"It was getting soggy anyways so I ate some," Tea muttered stretching.

"That's not a good reason," he muttered.

"All is fair in food when I'm the chef in this house," Tea replied while practicing a dance routine she came up with.

* * *

Soon the residents of the manor were happily sipping Ramune after their morning workout.

Kaiba shook the bottle at her, "How do you get the marble out?"

"Seriously you never drank one of these even though your fridge is full of them?"

He simply shook his head 'no', "Mokuba drinks them explaining why they fill up half of the fridge but I don't drink them. I don't like soda…"

"You can't get the marble out Kaiba. It's just there for fun now hand it over so I can toss it."

Kaiba looked perplexed at something but Tea ignored the look he gave her, "Kaiba don't be stubborn…"

"It's stuck," looking miserably he stuck his index finger at her with the Ramune bottle stuck to it.

Heaving a sigh Tea got up and walked off. Kaiba looked at the bottle blankly and wagged the bottle unable to pull it off.

* * *

Later on that Uneventful Day:

"Kaiba where are you? I need to do the laundry," Tea ran down the hallways carrying her laundry basket.

"What do you need me for?"

"Eeeek, you scared me…"

Kaiba was standing at the very top step of the staircase with his arms crossed across his chest.

"I don't know where the laundry machine is…"

"Wait here," Kaiba went to his room and got his bag of laundry and dragged the sack down the stairs.

"Am I supposed to follow?"

He simply nodded at her and traveled to the laundry room.

* * *

"These look really old. I expected some high tech ones from you," Tea said opening the lid of the washer.

"As I said they are discount items."

"Why don't you buy new ones?"

Kaiba glared down at her without malice, "Do I look like the type of man who goes washing machine shopping?"

Tea heaved a long sigh and dumped all of her clothes into the machine.

"Is it ok if your clothes go into the next load, Kaiba?"

"The question is if there's going to be a next load."

Tea huffed at him as she measured the soap and poured it into the funnel, "Don't be so pessimistic."

She closed the lid and turned on the water as it began to waterfall onto the clothes. Tea was about to leave when she saw Kaiba watching the machine rumble as if it was a ticking time bomb.

"Come on you silly man, it's not going to spazz out. You're just cursed," she tugged on his sleeve but of course he didn't budge.

_I don't trust this machine… _

"Maybe I am but let me stay for a minute," Kaiba leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Kaiba, if you don't mind me asking: why are you crossing your arms so constantly?"

"Take it off," Kaiba pointed the Ramune bottle at her.

Staring at the glass bottle Tea murmured, "It's still stuck…"

Seeing that Tea wasn't going to help him he crossed his arms again hiding the bottle from view.

_He crosses his arms to hide it…_

"Kaiba, we've been standing here for at least two minutes and nothing has happened…"

Frowning Kaiba walked out of the room to go get coffee from the kitchen and Tea soon followed.

* * *

Twenty Five Minutes later:

Tea was watching TV when a wet shirtless man stomped off towards his room grumbling and cursing. Deciding that he was more interesting than her show she got off of the couch. Flicking off the TV Tea followed the little wet trail he left.

"Kaiba?"

Pulling on a dry shirt he stared at the girl who entered his privacy.

"The hallway is completely soaked. I'm going to try and shut off the washer before it causes anymore damage. Can you help me?"

Tea stared back at him, "The Ramune…"

"I seriously can't get it off of my finger but will you help?"

_I can't believe I'm asking for her help…_

"Of course I'll help. How bad can it be?"

After arriving at the hallway:

"It's not that bad, Kaiba…"

Turning on her he pointed at the wall of suds and said in a monotone, "Not that bad, Tea? Not that bad? It's on the ceiling now and it has taken over at least six feet of hallway. In my perspective this is bad, category holy crap bad."

_He isn't yelling but I have a feeling that he's mad…at me. _

"Kaiba," Tea tried to calm him.

"Don't Kaiba me," he stared off at the foam, "I thought we were on first name basis…"

"Ummm… Seto, it's advancing…"

_I feel weird calling him by his first name. It's just a name but I've always called him Kaiba…_

Taking a breath Kaiba walked into the foam to come out soaking wet and covered in foam with a few towels.

"Here just get rid of as much foam as possible while I try to shut down the washer," he said handing her a towel as he went back into the suds.

Tea being clueless as what to do with the foam dove into it remembering that there was a window just across from the laundry room. Fumbling blindly along the wall for the latch Tea slid it open and took a deep breath of air from the outside world. Then she proceeded with her plan to shove all of the soap around her out of the window.

Soon she noticed that the foam stopped coming at her and Tea could finally see the ground at her feet and almost see where the laundry room once was. _This_ _foam is really cold but at least I know that Kaiba finally shut off the machine._ Suddenly the doorbell rang, the girl was about to go answer it when Kaiba emerged from the depths of the foam.

"Good idea Tea, shoving it out the window…"

Tea just watched him go and hoped that when he opened the door the newscasters wouldn't be there.

* * *

Bakura pressed the doorbell for what felt like the fifth time when the door opened revealing a foam covered Kaiba.

"Oh my, Kaiba I knew that you are a widow now but foam parties?"

Heaving a long winded sigh Kaiba leaned against the doorframe, "It's not what you think. My washer is broken… So what can I do for you two?"

He eyed their bags of luggage warily. _Don't tell me, more refugees looking for a sanctuary._

Bakura pointed at the Ramune before Ryou could answer.

Kaiba looked at the bottle as well, "It's stuck."

"Odd," Bakura uttered.

"Can we stay here, Kaiba? My yami here got us kicked out of Britain," Ryou pleaded.

"Sure, why not? It seems as if my manor is the ideal location for refugees," Kaiba waved the two inside.

Putting down their bags they looked in awe at the place even though there were little piles of foam here and there from Kaiba flicking them off of himself.

"Why do you say that, Kaiba?"

Kaiba was about to go back to helping Tea but he stopped and without looking back he explained, "Tea is here as well. Apparently New York didn't go too well with her either."

"Is there anything we can help you with since you are letting us stay here Kaiba?"

"Follow," was all he said as he led the two to the mess.

* * *

"Kaiba you're back. Who was it?"

Tea wiped some foam off of her forehead but continued using the towels to scoop up the foam and flinging it out the window.

"I just got us some additional helpers. Meet your old friends Ryou and his brother," Kaiba answered before disappearing into the laundry room.

"Hi, Tea," Ryou waved at her cheerfully before taking off his sweater and grabbing a towel to help her.

"Crap, this looks worse than that time I broke the dish washer," Bakura let out a long whistle looking at the wall of foam.

When Tea looked away Ryou glared at Bakura who immediately began scooping the stuff and hurling it out the window with great gusto.

Eventually the three were able to get to the laundry room which was spotless except for the foam covered Kaiba trying to fix the washer with the tools underneath the sink.

"You can stuff your clothes into the dryer if you want to," he grunted out from behind the washer.

"Sure," Tea opened the top of the washer and began to put them in the dryer.

"Seto, is the dryer going to incinerate my clothes?"

_They are on first name basis? What?_ Ryou just looked puzzled.

"Kaiba, are you sure you can fix that thing?"

"Bakura, you're talking to the man who invented virtual reality pods. Who's to say that he can't fix a 1990's washer?"

"Right," the King of Thieves looked at him dubiously.

Tea turned on the dryer and stared at it as if it would combust.

"Tea, if your clothes burn up I'll just turn off the machine or end up buying you new ones so go eat something I know you're hungry," Kaiba waved his hands at her.

"Ok, who wants dinner?" Without waiting for a reply Tea walked to the kitchens with Ryou and Bakura following her.

* * *

Later on:

Tea walked back to the laundry room hearing the clink of metal against metal. Stepping behind the machine she placed the plate of food besides Kaiba.

"Take a break ok? You've been trying to fix that thing for at least an hour now," Tea mumbled shoving food in her mouth.

Groaning he sat up and picked up the plate, "I have a feeling that this lifestyle is going to become more chaotic than it already is."

Not wanting to take in his pessimistic aura she said, "Hey, the Ramune is gone."

Kaiba looked at his hand, "Yeah, it shattered a bit ago when I was fixing this piece of crap. I got the marble though."

He held the glass ball up to the light.

Tea stared at the little marble, "It's pretty."

"Isn't it?"

"Where is Ryou and Bakura staying, Seto? Not in my hall right?"

"Wherever they want to; it's going to be chaotic with that crazy running about though."

"It can't be that bad."

"That's what you said about the foam…"

* * *

I don't like cliff hangers so I ended it after they cleaned up instead of when Bakura arrived.

Ramune: I thought that the marble was removable so I stuck my finger in it (bad idea people). It was in the middle of a meeting that it became really embarrassing. In it I had to stand up and say some things when I accidently gestured and there was a Ramune stuck to the end of my finger. I never got the marble…

Foam: I went to a foam party a bit ago. I took my experience from that and from the incident that got me kicked out of that apartment. After I shut off the machine I let my friend (Violent Light as you know him by) clean up the outside hallways while I tried to fix the machine. He fled apparently while the landlady came and kicked me out. Later on he was kicked out anyways for not being able to pay his rent.

Window: I got that shoving all the foam out the window idea from the time me and my friends took all the newspapers we could crumple it all up and filled up another guy's dorm room. You couldn't step foot into the place after we were finished. We all had a good laugh and took pictures after he found out…But the thing was the cleaning inspector was arriving. Freaking out we shoved our way towards the window, opened it up and hurled it all out the window; later on we came down to bag it and recycle it. Luckily we weren't caught and kicked out of school. It took four months to collect the newspapers, five hours to fill the room, and approximately three minutes to dump it all out the window.

So bad or good? You decide.

Leave a thoughtful review.


	5. Beauty of Exploding Microwaves

I'm in the laundry room as I write this out. I've been jotting down my thoughts before I wash a stranger's laundry and write out their name on a card so I can fold their clothes and give it back to them later. It seems very strange taking my life and weaving it through my fingers to turn it into this story. This is me, the guy who sits on laundry machines gazing out of the window behind his shoulder. This is the story of my life written and altered into a form people would rather read.

This is the story of a loss and re-living just so I nag you once more...

Review Replies:

Random Warrior 777: Thank you for thinking it as good. No, I don't consider myself of an author because well, I'll admit writing is my passion but if I end up as this metal head guitar band guy, this snowboarding junkie, this insane artist, this writer as you put it I'll spend the rest of my life eating ramen and partying like no tomorrow until the day I collapse and die. That isn't what I'm living for. And are you serious man? No errors? Again are you serious? All this I write is done without spell check and is all written as hot off the press it has to have errors. I'm only human...

R0gue lebeau: I thank you for being a fan and finding it funny. I found myself laughing at the past as well. (Insert smiley face here)

Violent Light: For the last time she didn't kill me or even almost! Thank you for laughing though. Another thing I found out, you're repeating your compliments to me... I'll forgive you, man on one condition that you will not pass up. Concert on Valentine's, it's going to rock dude. Remember Halloween night? It's going to be like that where pig blood rains from the ceiling. You've got to come with us. Chad, Byron, Mike, and Drew have already agreed. Vaughn isn't sure because he got drop kicked in the chest last time but I'm almost sure he's going. Just don't bring any girls especially Kylie (she's too nice) they'd hate to get the stuff in their hair. Come on, let's fight the night away just like the good old days, just one last thrash before succumbing to college years. We're getting old man, all of us. Let's try one last attempt to live it.

You know what I realized... People could read the above and become biased... Please, answer your E-Mails I'm only talking through here because you didn't reply after five days on your E-mail and I know you read this.

Disclaimer: I don't own a good cup of coffee, YGO, Fred Meyer's, Yoplait yogurt, Pepto-Bismol pink, Nesquick, Beauty and the Beast, Tea's POV, Nosferatu, or this laundry I'm drying so who's to say I own anything?

Tea's POV is created by the girl whom I watched the movie with so it belongs to her I just asked her to write it...

* * *

"Damn, Kaiba!"

Bakura started to rant and rave while cheery elevator music played in the background of Fred Meyers.

"Bakura, you shouldn't insult him. He's letting us stay in a place that we can't even dream of," Ryou picked up a small cup of Yoplait yogurt.

The thief king gave his companion a menacing glare which was easily ignored.

"I'm rather thankful."

Snarling he said, "He made us go grocery shopping! Complete demoralization!"

While Bakura shook his fist angrily Ryou held a calm demeanor about him, "Correction Bakura, he asked me to go because he can't leave the house without the press tailing him, that and Tea was asleep. It was a favor that you didn't need to follow me on…"

Narrowing his rusted crimson colored eyes into murderous slits he accepted the truth and grumbled as he walked off to find something more interesting.

"Bakura, if you plan to wander off call me when you want to leave," Ryou called out to Bakura without taking his eyes from the yogurts or the list in his hand.

_Here I thought Kaiba's penmanship was perfect. I can't tell if this says chocolate mousse yogurt or strawberry yogurt. Even if I turn it upside down it doesn't look right side up…_

-Flashback-

"Here's two hundred. Get whatever you want but here's a list of what Tea wants you to get. She was half asleep so I wrote it down for her," Kaiba muttered whipping out the two large sized bills from his wallet and handing them over.

-End Flashback-

_I have enough money so I might as well buy one of every flavor then eat whatever Tea doesn't want…_

After getting everything on the list that he could read then got help from the wandering workers his eye caught a pink substance then seeing Bakura nearby Ryou picked up the pink substance and ran to his yami… I have been kind of harsh on him lately… Even the undeserved deserve some kind of treat right?

"Hey, Bakura I'm going to get you this pink milk," expecting some joy from his darker half Ryou became a bit excited.

Staring at the Pepto-Bismol pink milk Bakura huffed, "Are you insulting my manliness?!"

"No, I just thought you liked it better," Ryou looked concerned for his own well-being now.

Bakura snatched the pink Nesquick bottle from Ryou's hand then beat him mercilessly over the head with it. As blood spurted from the head wound Bakura laughed maniacally as Ryou fell limp to the ground. Still he beat the lifeless body senseless. Hacking from his roaring laugh he walked away.

Leaving Ryou standing there wondering why Bakura had taken the bottle from him just to laugh like that and beat the air with it. People had stared at the act and seemed very disturbed from it but somehow returned to their own actions as Bakura left the scene. His yami's insane laughter didn't faze him anymore but he was irked by the strange behavior. _He never did anything of that caliber before. I wonder if something caused unbalance… Actually who said that he was ever balanced in the first plac_e?

Shrugging he picked up the shaken milk that Bakura dropped and decided to buy it anyways. Pushing the cart to the cashier he paid for the items. He had called Bakura while he was in the lines but his call went unanswered. Still not seeing Bakura anywhere Ryou popped the trunk of the car that Kaiba had lent to him. After filling up the truck then slamming it shut did Bakura appear.

Wheeling the cart into the cart return center like a Good Samaritan Ryou turned around to see Bakura was almost chest to chest with him he was so close. Deftly shoving his dark aside Ryou opened the driver's side and pulled out the seat belt before turning on the ignition. Bakura looked confused as he sat in the passenger's side.

"I thought… I thought I killed you…."

"I resurrected myself," Ryou answered simply as he reversed then drove back to Kaiba's house.

_Could it be? Ryou's stronger than he looks… Even though I bashed his brains out he doesn't have a scratch on him…_

* * *

After arriving back 'home' and restocking the fridge and the pantry they discover that the mansion had an eerie feel to it. It seemed empty and deserted. Searching the manor they didn't find anyone in the pool area, the gardens, the respected bedrooms or even the roof.

"Where could they be Bakura?"

Ryou asked aloud but looked around to only face air.

"Bakura?"

Bakura was standing there leaning against the doorway leading to the living room. Ryou curious as to what his darker half was staring at went to stand besides Bakura. The interesting object of Bakura's attention was on the big living room couch.

Kaiba was lying on the couch, one arm drooping off of the couch and the other arm was holding someone protectively towards his chest. Tea on the other hand had one arm wrapped around Kaiba's neck while her hand was curled against his chest. Both of their legs were entwined as they both slept happily.

"This scene makes me want to pour ice water all over them, what do you say?"

Ryou rolled his eyes and dragged Bakura away, "Leave them alone and let them have their little moment. All I want to know is how they got like that…"

* * *

-Flashback-

"You sent Bakura to get the groceries?"

"No, I sent Ryou, his brother just decided to follow him," Kaiba muttered before continuing his typing rampage on his laptop.

"You know that Bakura isn't his brother right?"

Tea poured more coffee into his mug.

"I know. Bakura is some mad three thousand year old spirit that used to be tan and had the title of King of Thieves. The two just come off to me as brothers…"

Tea rolled her eyes and sighed, "How do you keep yourself occupied?"

"I told you I'm checking stocks."

Tea leaned across his desk and looked into his expression, "Seto, you've made more than enough money to feed over five generations of Kaibas' when will you stop?"

Scowling he turned off his computer, "Fine, what do you suggest we do?"

Smiling brightly balancing the conflicting feelings in the room Tea offered sanctity, "How about a movie?"

In The Living Room:

"Tea, please just put in a movie already," Kaiba rubbed the bridge of his nose gaining a headache from the harsh lighting from the technology; "I'm getting bored to tears here.

Eyebrows knitted with frustration Tea shouted back, "There are so many to choose from."

Annoyed with the antics Kaiba strode over to her and quickly covered her eyes. In an exasperated tone he said, "Choose one."

As soon as she picked one out he withdrew and sat back on the right side of the couch.

"So Beauty and the Beast it is then," Tea fed the disk to the machine with a grin before hopping onto her side of the couch.

* * *

Tea's POV Begins (and in no way is it censored no matter how much I want it to be…)

I loved this movie as a kid and I love it now. It was romantic, touching, and really colorful but it still had some touches of humor behind it.

Throughout the first beginning half I can't help but think, "Seto must be bored to tears over there. Poor guy."

Then the scene where Belle dances with Beast flows in I got completely caught up with it. The two danced so beautifully. Hand in paw across that beautiful golden dance floor Beast was surprisingly graceful; never did he step on Belle's little feet. I found it a shame that a man so charming and sweet was trapped in such a monstrous form.

In the middle of the movie I heard soft sniffles and I thought that it had to be some romantic girl like me but then I remembered. There's only Seto and myself here… I look over to see Seto, the human ice-block the so called Cold as Ice Prince crying. They weren't tears of boredom I found to my surprise. I guess the movie got to him too...

He noticed my inquisitor stare. "It's sad," he said unashamed.

It was sad, so moved by Seto I ended up crying beside him as well. We shared the tears and the moment as we much as we shared each other's embrace.

After the credits began to roll he shut off the TV and feeling weary Seto dozed off enjoying an afternoon nap. Comforted by the fact that I had connected with him in that shred of a moment I let my body succumb as well to the power of afternoon naps…

-End Tea's POV-

-End Flash Back-

* * *

Sitting up and yawning Tea sat up and stretched. The body that she was crushing beneath her quivered slightly and got up staring at her with blind bleary eyes. Tea poked him in the chest and giggled for reasons he knew not why.

Kaiba scowled to some extent, "What's so funny?"

With a grim smile she asked a question that had daunted upon her ever since she had walked into his home, "How do you hide it so well? How do you keep it secret for all of this time?"

He looked at her; the mild confusion was clear across his features and didn't vanish. He knew he had no emotions to hide from her so why even try?

"I'm being sarcastic, Seto. Why are you still so miserable after all of this time? I may be able to help you forget but never will I be able to get you to forgive yourself. I'm speaking of the regret and shame in your eyes. Along with that old glisten of pain it's been there ever since I last saw you there standing in front of that grave marker. You've kept blaming yourself after all of these years, why?"

He looked down, away from his eyes to the leather couch he sat on, "It was my fault. I killed her. No amount of time, forgiveness, or anything will change that."

Tentatively Tea reached over and tilted his chin up, cupping the side of his face in the palm of her hand gently, "Seto, you can't change the past. Let her go."

Kaiba looked away from her to the blinded windows. Suddenly he looked back and flashed a rare genuine grin.

"I should, shouldn't I?"

_But I'm not going to. Not yet. Not until they're in my grasp I won't let it go. You're wrong Tea, I'm not blaming myself I'm past that and I have been ever since I stood before that grave for the very first time._

Then trying to alleviate the air of tension Tea patted his shoulder and said, "Ryou and Bakura must be back now do you want something to eat?"

She stood and extended her hand towards him and he wordlessly took it.

"Go on towards the kitchen I'll be rounding up those two Nosferatu twins."

Kaiba scoffed as he headed towards the kitchen, "They aren't vampires."

"Whatever, make coffee or something I'll be right back," Tea pushed him further towards the kitchens.

* * *

After they were rounded up and eating lunch…

"Kaiba, I've always wanted to ask you something," Ryou looked up from his lunch.

Looking at Ryou from above the rim of his coffee mug Kaiba answered, "Yes?"

"Why do you drink coffee so much? Are you addicted to it or what?"

Kaiba suddenly bursts out laughing after spitting out the coffee he had in his mouth into the sink. It didn't sound evil but it wasn't a pleasant sound either.

Just as abruptly as he began he stopped and took a sip of his coffee. It was as if that random choke of laughter had never existed outside of their minds.

"The story is too long to tell, Ryou."

The British man rolled his eyes and prodded on, "We have all day, Kaiba. Come on and tell us your story."

Kaiba sighed but relented, "When I was younger my mother used to have a pot of this running every afternoon after I came home from school. There I said it."

It was now Tea's turn now to roll her eyes.

"Come on Seto, you've got me interested. Keep going, please?" She smiled brightly at him.

Kaiba copied her cheesy smile and grinned back at her using it as a jeer, "Fine… My mother, father, brother and I would talk for hours over a cup of coffee. We shared every aspect of our day, kind of like a bonding session. We talked about everything over a cup of coffee. Even now when I have forgotten my mother's name I will never forget this, 'the power of a good cup of coffee when you share it with someone you care about will sans most of the grudges you've held.'"

Kaiba ended the memory with a sip of his bitter brew.

Then out of the corner of his eye Kaiba spotted Bakura holding a balloon floating in the air tied to a string as he approached the microwave.

"Touching story Kaiba, but I want to share with you a room full of helium!"

Shoving the balloon into the microwave and setting it to a thirty seconds the microwave will never reach Bakura closed the door. The sound of the microwave starting only lasted for a few seconds before a resounding shot filled everyone's ears. It was loud as a gunshot as pieces of microwave and latex flew in every direction.

* * *

Credits:

Manliness: Inspired greatly by Lazy Muffin and my friend who began punching the air and laughing maniacally in Fred Meyers while holding a bottle of Life Water and screaming, "Take that Life!"

Coffee: Inspired by words from my own Mother…

Microwave: Have you ever put a balloon filled with helium in a microwave? Well, Violent Light did I quoted him exactly too…

Beauty and the Beast: I was watching that with my friend and she wrote it out in her point of view saying that I should put it in my story because it'd be a great romantic scene. It was one of the things that I wrote out as it happened… My manliness is gone… She said that if I altered it to save my pride she would kick me until I imploded. Not liking that option I decided to write it as it was. How I described the scene where she slept on top of me was from another friend of mine getting the picture on his phone…

Well, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter even though it's late beyond help.

Leave a Thoughtful and well Spoken Review please.

Just a yes or no will do.


	6. Dancing in the Rain

Considering how I'm dwindling down to my last 13 readers I'm feeling slightly depressed... When you are feeling depresses both in the fictional world and the real world you're one sad and lonely sore on the face of this planet.

I don't mind I'll continue writing. It's one of those things my soul screams out. It's been doing that quite often than not. Even if the little reader reviewer count drops to one just know that I will finish this. If not for Light who will probably stick around to the very end then to the rest of you. You didn't really like the 5th chapter, huh? Was it really that bad?

I probably can write as good as I can sing that's probably why... This is stating the fact that when I sing puppies die. Yes, I sing that badly. Except if I sing acoustic songs like Dashboard Confessional, that's ok... That's beside the point! I suck at writing and I know it so endure some of it with me if not until it ends then at least until this paragraph ends.

There now you can leave.

Replies:

R0gue lebeau: I'm guessing you've watched that film as well. I'm a sucker for vampire movies and stories… Bad pun I know. Their reversed roles are from the prequel. I base their personalities heavily upon my friend and his twin brother. I'm best friends with the insane one as you can probably tell… Well, enjoy this chapter as much as you can.

Violent Light: I'll only make you seem insane as you are. That's the most I can promise. And so what if we shared an E-mail account? We shared our apartment, our food, our beds, our text books; we took everything and labeled it as ours. Not mine, not yours but ours except our clothes. Actually I didn't care if she borrowed a sweater or two... You can actually call me now. Yeah, I got my crappy Verizon wireless phone back; it wasn't worth the price I paid.

Now you know why I limping around during lunch and why I gave my lunch to you. You may laugh but it actually hurt to eat. Never say that she punches like a girl; my jaw still hurts.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO,

* * *

"Touching story Kaiba but I want to share with you, a room full of helium!"

Kaiba's eyes bugged out as he tried to dive under the table for escape. Tea seeing the CEO tackle a dining chair wondered what was going on when someone pulled her leg and slipped her under the table.

_Snick!_ Pieces of microwave and latex flew everywhere.

After the last shard of debris clattered to the ground Kaiba let go of Tea to lie on his side watching her as she still cringed and covered her ears.

He nudged her side gently, "Are you ok?"

Glaring heatedly she turned on him as if he was the one who destroyed the microwave. "A crazy psycho just blew up a microwave and you expect me to be ok?!"

"Physical damage not mental scarring. Again, are you ok?"

Tea nodded slowly. Leaving her there Kaiba ducked out from underneath the table. Apparently from under the thick tablecloth Kaiba couldn't hear Bakura but as soon as he left the table all he could hear was the thief's yells.

_His hair is on fire. Where's Ryou?_

As Kaiba stood up fully he saw Ryou beating Bakura over the head with a cloth napkin tying to stop the small fire. Quickly he grabbed the end of a napkin soaked the whole of it in the bowl of water in the sink and tossed it onto Bakura's head dousing the fire and stopping his whining.

Not saying a thing he sifted through the pieces of microwave.

"Bakura, you owe me a new microwave," Kaiba said simply not looking up.

"I don't owe you anything," Bakura growled swiping the wet cloth off of his head.

"You owe me a new microwave," Kaiba enunciated slowly but menacing.

Bakura became wide eyed and slowly stepped away from the CEO who began to give him the frosty evil eyed glare.

**Later On**

_I don't know how to use this machine… I do know how to use the other washer but since it doesn't work I'm forced to use this one… I'll just pour in different soap it'll still work._

Bakura brought his laundry into the kitchen…

**Ten Minutes Later**

_I feel like coffee… _

Kaiba meandered into the kitchen; he managed to walk halfway through it before feeling warm water pour over his feet. Waking up fully he noticed the wall of suds blocking up most of the kitchen. _What the Hell?_ Hearing the sound of the washer Kaiba dove into the soapy mess to turn it off. Groping blindly for the plastic covered switches he was immersed in the warm suds. Chocking for air that was unreachable his fingers rapidly tried for the switch. Abruptly his thumb bumped into a knob and rapidly he switched it to the off position before running his fingertips across the metallic surface searching for the plastic buttons. Hearing the muffled _clunk_ as he pressed the off commands he strode out of the mess.

Shaking the foam off of himself he felt as if he had just run out of a car wash without a car. Out of breath and covered in suds. Swiping it out of his hair and off of his shoulders Kaiba turned around to survey the mess.

The foam coated a whole four foot radius around the washer. I _feel like stomping it to little bits from the frustration. I can't believe this happened twice. If I do stomp on it I'll just end up looking like a fool and would've accomplished nothing. I could use the vacuum…no bad idea. I could use scoop it into the sink and melt it… That's too time consuming…_ Irked by how much he was thinking over such a small matter he grabbed onto the sink faucet head, pulled it as far as it would go, then turned it on and melted all of the foam.

Kaiba then took out a mop and a bucket to get rid of the excess water. After all of the water had been mopped up he cautiously opened the washer to find laundry in it.

_Who would be so mindless to put clothes in a dish washer? Of course…_

"Bakura!"

Tea arrived at the kitchen first since she was the closest. Upon seeing the drenched Kaiba she tried to suppress her laughter. Kaiba didn't respond to her actions and instead he left the washer door open and leaned against the kitchen counter.

Bakura and Ryou soon followed her in.

"Oh, my; Bakura, what have you done?"

His eyes narrowed to cold blue slits that glared darkly at its victim but Bakura ignored the glare and instead bared his fangs and growled at Kaiba.

"Bakura are you purposely trying to rid me of my appliances or are you just acting the part of an incompetent moron?"

Bakura's eye lit up from the insult Kaiba threw at him, "You shall rue the day that you insult me, priest."

Smirking he answered, "You won't touch me. If you do I'll pin you to the roof where you can finally face the sunlight."

Bakura was about to answer him with another threat when he noticed the meaning behind Kaiba's last phrase. Before he could answer though…

"Seto, I thought you said that they weren't vampires."

Shrugging Kaiba bent down to inspect the washer trying to find a way to fix it. "With the way he's baring his teeth at me I beg to differ."

Clothes had wrapped around the upper and lower water fans of the washer which caused it to overload and short circuit itself. The wrong type of soap made it overflow. The idea of trying to fix the washer in wet conforming clothes gave him a headache so instead he turned away from the washer and walked out of the kitchen. Before he left the kitchen though he and Bakura shared a heated glare that ended up with Kaiba grabbing onto Bakura's collar and slamming him back against the wall. Until he could feel Bakura cowering slightly did he let go and back off to his room.

Frowning at Kaiba's retreating figure Bakura straightened his collar and cleared his throat.

Ryou scooped the damp clothes from the washer and gave the bundle to Bakura.

His lighter half smile brightly at him, "You should go and take care of these…"

Bakura grumbled and as he planned how to obtain his vindictive justice.

As soon as he had left Tea came over to Ryou and nudged him playfully in the rib with her elbow, "When do you think those two will hold apathetic feelings towards each other?"

Ryou scoffed but replied, "I think that the two would sooner tear out each other's throats. If only they weren't so evenly matched…"

Now it was Tea's turn to scoff, "Ryou, I beg to differ on that one. They are not evenly matched. Seto has the will and power to do mental and physical harm to someone but he doesn't hold the capacity Bakura holds to be vicious and vindictive. In the end Seto will be the first to weaken."

"You shouldn't be so hard on Kaiba. I think he can easily beat Bakura. All Kaiba would have to do is show Bakura that he's serious before Bakura runs off."

Turning to Ryou with a mischievous grin Tea offered, "I bet you ten dollars that Bakura will win against Seto."

Grinning back just as wickedly Ryou said, "I bet you twenty that Kaiba would win."

Frowning Tea heightened her amount, "I bet thirty on Bakura."

"Then I bet fifty on Kaiba."

And so the two continued their gamble until their bets ranked up so high that they were going for broke if they lost…

_So they're betting on us? Interesting how this is turning out…_ Kaiba ducked back around the corner to head towards his office not anticipating the world of pain that awaited him as soon as he stepped through the open door. The last thing he felt before the white hot blinding pain was the shattering of cool glass against his shoulder blades then the feeling of a million little bodies crawling, inching all over his bare skin. The owners of those little bodies stung and bit him until he swore he was going to bleed all over the floor.

Hearing Bakura's laugh his pain and anguish turned to that of pure detestation and hatred. The abhorrence being such a strong emotion numbed him from his blinding pain and instead brought the adrenaline rushing through his veins. Bakura's mocking laugh was soon overcome with the mounting sound of his thudding heartbeat as it reiterated in his ears.

Bakura not anticipating the reality of being caught was taken by surprise as Kaiba tackled him and got him into a chokehold. Facing the idea of lost and having it palpitate as a weight in his chest he was pinned to the very pinnacle of his world it seemed. Bakura stayed there without consent of choice until the stars collapsed into a new dawn.

Kaiba though after climbing down from the roof groaned and tried to rid himself of the little pests. He clawed blindly at himself mostly raking at bare flesh than foe. _The pool…ants can't swim, right?_

Stumbling blindly to the pool he tried to rid himself of the offending material that was his clothes.

**In another perspective:**

Tea was merely swimming a few laps in the pool for exercise since Kaiba didn't ever seem to mind when he slammed the pool door open. Tea paused at the sound as it grated against her ears like nails on a chalkboard and swam closer to the brim of the pool wanting to ask Kaiba what was wrong. His head was down so his bangs covered his eyes as he tore out of his shirt and tossed it aside. He stumbled like a drunk before tripping over the brick lining of the pool and plunged to the crystalline blue depths. Tea dove under the water to see Kaiba struggling under the water. Looking at him closely she saw the deep scratches he was inflicting upon himself.

_What is he doing? The guy is going to tear himself to shreds if he continues…_ "Ouch," Tea felt something sting her arm. _An ant, is he covered in these things?_

She frowned slightly before pulling him towards the surface, forcing him to take a gasp of air for breath.

"Tea?"

She picked one of the small insects from his shoulder, "You are covered in these things aren't you?"

"Yes, irritatingly so," Kaiba continued to try and scrape them off of him.

Grimacing from the sight Tea took his hand and stopped him. He looked at her with an inquiring gaze while wincing slightly from the stings as he treaded water. Instead of trying to tear the insects from him Tea sifted her hand through his hair and picked them out and swept them into the waters of their demise.

"You're going to rip your own skin to shreds if you continue clawing at yourself you know? Silly man," Tea laughed and swept the red ants off of his shoulders for him. Taking his wrist she beckoned him to sit on the pool steps beside her.

Tea watched as he crushed some of the other lives he found crawling up his arm. "Are you going to tell me what happened or should I just guess?"

He looked down at his hands for a while as if they had an interesting quality he hadn't noticed before. "Bakura broke what felt like a fire ant farm on my back."

"They were just red ants," Tea smiled holding up a wriggling little ant.

"Whatever…If he was a vampire we would know by morning," Kaiba muttered.

She chuckled at him, "You actually pinned him to the roof?"

Kaiba flashed a rare smile for her, "Yeah, I did. I wasn't thinking straight as I did but he's stuck on the roof now."

Tea murmured softly, "Personally I think it as a good idea. Let's just hope Rou doesn't miss him too much…"

He looked down at her briefly, "Really? It was a good idea?"

"Yeah," She murmured back.

The two then sat there on the glossy steps leading to the depths of the pool in silence just enjoying the serenity of the moment. Tea leaned against him a bit while they both thought about everything but nothing at the same time. They contemplated their lives up until this moment, what was to be the very next move? Who was to execute the action? Who was to accept it?

Stopping the moment to lay their drifting minds to rest Tea entwined her fingers with his and invited him to leave the pool with her. Looking up at her friendly smile he couldn't resist the urge to follow her.

**After dinner**

"I can wash the dishes if you need me to, Kaiba," Ryou offered taking a dish into his hand.

Kaiba took the dish from him gently and said, "It's unneeded, Ryou. Go watch TV or something."

Glad he didn't have to do chores Ryou was about to leave when he noticed something, "Tea, Kaiba, I haven't seen Bakura anywhere. Do you know where he's been? I don't want you to receive a police report because he's been wreaking havoc in this neighborhood."

Tea came up and patted Ryou on the arm gently, "Don't worry about it, Ryou. Just let us take care of it. We'll find him, you just go rest or surf the web, ok?"

Kaiba washed the dishes by hand slowly unsure of the best way to wash them. He decided to scrub them all then come back with the faucet head and spray them all.

Tea stood by his shoulder but after a while she wrinkled her nose and uttered, "Ewwww, we should get a new dishwasher soon."

He eyed her strangely, "We don't need a new dishwasher Tea. I'm washing them aren't I?"

Tea picked up one of the dishes he cleaned and dried, "Yeah, I appreciate it but I want one that works."

Scowling at the comment Kaiba sprayed her with the faucet head.

"Hey!" Tea snatched it out of his hands and sprayed used it on him.

Smirking smugly he got stepped behind her and caged her in between his arms. Her back was to his chest as he dragged her away from the sink.

"You evil woman, I've been soaked to the bone in these last few days more than I ever have in my entire lifetime. Half of those times were caused by you," he growled.

Ryou stepped into the room, "Do you know where I can find the… Oh, my…"

* * *

I end it here because I felt like it. Review if you'd like. I know that there are less of you now so…

Before you question me, there is a reason for Bakura and Ryou's arrival. They are merely setting the stage. I've been writing fillers trying to write out the entire plot and have been trying to find the perfect ending. I feel really feminine writing this just so you know… This chapter was actually written by the help of a good friend of mine. She said it would be better with a feminine touch… I can't believe I agreed but this was how this chapter was written with as much so called 'cuteness' that I could tolerate to write. Cute…that word doesn't feel right rolling off of my tongue…

From life to Fiction:

Broken Microwave: I have explained in the previous chapter of this reason. My friend had placed a balloon in the microwave and it exploded…

Broken Washer: My friend thought that a dish washer was the equivalence to a clothes washer except they used different soap. He destroyed a dish washer to put it plainly.

Broken Ant farm: As revenge for me yelling at him for breaking the washer he came up behind me and smashed his little buggy house across my back. They weren't fire ants but they still stung. I didn't have someone to help me pick them off of me although I wished I did. I still carry slight scars from where I scratched myself trying to rid myself of the pests.

Pool Scene: Created entirely out of Michelle's mind. Joking, I shared this moment with her a few weekends back and she asked me to re-write it and add it in. The conversation was about someone but it wasn't about me pinning my friend to the roof.

Idea of pinning him to the Roof: In reality I tied him to the floor of the fire escape during a hailstorm but I would've enjoyed my revenge better if I could have pinned him to the roof…

After Dinner Section: Written entirely by Michelle for me. She asked me if she could write the ending paragraph to the chapter and I let her to the extent of my regret. She said that she had been inspired by something written by a person named Lynn… I find it awkward that I'm letting others help me achieve my own goals...

Strange, I can get girls to talk to me and become friends with them easily but they don't want me… Apparently they prefer the insane guys who treat them like fish. I just end up as the nice guy who listens to their problems and help them out with life's little problems… Maybe I should just go back to what I was before. No, that can wait. I'll finish writing this then I can go back to contemplating over my days and proclaiming my lament from the rooftops.

* * *

Leave a thoughtful review if you can. 


	7. Lit Strolls By The Sea For An Eternity

I guess I should write this for you, shouldn't I?

I now have an idea for Winter Formal. (It was posted on my author's blog but who reads it?)

A black tux, blue silk dress shirt (it brings out my eyes I'm told), and slacks, no hat, no cane, with polished shoes. Have to have nice shoes, ladies always check out the shoes... That's what I'll arrive in. I'm going to be the only guy without a date... This is going to suck, big time but hopefully I'll cheer myself up before hand by writing this.

Keep in mind that for the most part others are writing my stories for me as I'm working out the kinks in the plotline before it reaches you. I'll show you the reason why this story is called Endure One More Hindrance. For now however my friends will help me write the love story out.

Replies:

R0gue lebeau: I'm glad I could brighten up someone's day. You cheered me up by reviewing so we're equal. **Heroic Seto, big rescue, bigger wedding and happily ever after **quote by quote is this the type of ending you want? I must ask you this because I'm afraid to ask any girl this face to face for fear of ending up with my balls in my stomach but do all girls dream of a big wedding as a happily ever after? I could do with the happily ever after for an ending…but is a wedding necessary? I can't write those, I need background information and not to sound like a jerk but I don't like weddings. The idea of being bound and chained for as long as I live doesn't bring the words happy to mind… At the end I hope Kaiba ends up as the hero and rescues her from the villain's greasy hair but wedding?

Kitana18: Glad you find it to be funny. Cute? I don't know why but I despised that word... It feels funny rolling off of my tongue. Thank you for reviewing.

Violent Light: I'm glad you don't mind me inserting our memories into this piece of work. I really don't know why she left me. I'm sure she told me but my ears were deaf to whatever she said as soon as she said those five little words, "I don't love you, anymore."  
I remember vaguely that she hugged me then turned around and left. I fell to my knees man, I couldn't breathe seriously. Those single words actually stung more than that time you and the guys beat me up trying to make me get over her. Thank you for still being here.

I'm going. Reason for typing this entire paragraph out, I tried to call but Kylie picked up to say that you were asleep after doing something I won't mention and that I should call back later.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, Sex Raptor, dagger quality mail openers, or anything.

* * *

Story begins with an upbeat tune to the sound of the Sex Raptor.

In the crowded streets of Domino a couple was taking a walk.

She yelled out to be heard above the sounds of the raucous people, "Where are you taking me?"

"You said you trusted me."

He continued to weave through the multitudes holding her hand. Secretly she found it strange how no one recognized him. _Perhaps the elusive CEO finally escaped the scrutiny of the media's eye and the public as well. _

"I…"

"Don't say another word. Trust me."

_What has gotten into him? I sense a slight panic about him yet excitement at the same time. Did something happen beforehand?_

**Flashback **

Irritated at getting a first class view of the Heavens he was facing a huge decision. Rip off his clothes to free himself or stay on the roof.

Suddenly the sliding door swung open revealing a maddened Bakura wielding several mail openers and looking as if he had been fed to a paper shredder. Having several hours to mull over his retribution he was prepared to take it. His victim was standing helplessly in the kitchen washing the dishes.

Seeing the sliding door break off of its rail and fall to the floor as it swung open Kaiba turned to see the murderous gleam in the King of Thieves blood red eyes. Fathoming the lethality of the weapons in Bakura's hands he froze. _I could grab a kitchen knife but he could throw them at me before I could even make a move… Damn, I knew it was a bad idea to use mail openers…_

As soon as Bakura took one step forward Kaiba strode out of the kitchen and rushed towards the front door. Tea never saw Kaiba run so fast towards anywhere flicked off the TV and flopped off of the couch to follow him. Quickly he had slipped into his black trench coat and was about to leave when he saw an excuse walking towards him.

Throwing her jacket from the closet at her he asked hastily, "How do you feel about a stroll at this time while a deranged psycho rampages through the house in search of my blood?"

Catching the coat and tentatively slipping her arms through the sleeves she questioned the phrase he had just asked. _A walk, now? What is he talking about?_

"What?"

Extending her his hand he muttered, "You heard me. Will you follow-up on my plan for escape?"

Not thinking about the situation much and just seeing him offering her his companionship she couldn't resist taking his hand in hers and following him as they walked through the city.

**End Flashback**

Once the majority of the crowd had dispersed and left behind to the marvels of the city and they stood on the very edge of the park just across from the mall the two mellowed to the mellifluous tone of the place in between the serenity of the park and between the chaoses of the crowds from the city. Slowly he took her hand and led her away from the realities of the moment. Dancing on the streets of Domino brought up quite a stir in the crowds but nothing too much of an eddy that it disturbed the balance and flow of the rushing stream of people.

_Has he finally cracked? I used to dance on the streets but as a teenager it was alright… But to lean against him now and pretend that he's mine in this moment I don't care about the stares. Wait, won't someone recognize him?_

"If you're worried about someone noticing me don't worry. I'm nothing but a fallen star to them now. I mean nothing," Kaiba said to her.

Leaning against him and refusing to move he stopped and looked down at her, "What is it?"

Listening to the gentle rhythm in his chest she said softly, "It's going to rain soon."

"Come with me," a husky whisper which she heard through the rumbles from within him.

Taking his hand she followed like before. The rain didn't come as a harsh downpour but as a gentle warning spray of water before the storm.

_Who cares if we get ill from this? We sure won't. Actually she might care… _

Under the cover of the trees the rain still reached them but they came here to escape from the people not the rain. Privacy was a bigger issue than the crying skies.

"Why are we here? Or rather what is it that you're seeking from this?"

"Nothing," he took a step back from her before asking, "Can I ask you for your hand?"

"Are you nuts? Dancing now in the rain?" Tea looked at him as if he was deranged as the fellow he tried to escape from.

"It doesn't sound like a bad idea to me…"

"Seto, I haven't danced in the rain ever since…high school…"

A smirk crept its way into his features, "And who were you dancing with?"

Timidly she took his offered hand, "You. Who else would be crazy enough to dance in the rain?"

"You didn't have to say yes," he smiled at her as they found a beat.

The sweet splendor of dancing in the rain with someone whom you've cared about for sometime but never uttered your true feelings to is about the equivalence to living your life besides them for the whole of your existence with a pain gnawing on you deeply. Burning from inside out the feelings won't subside but there's too much risk if the feelings are out in the open. They can be shot down and that rhythm that fluttered within from the beginning of time will just feel pain. Is it worth the risk for love; for loss? Does it over weigh the chances of that tenderness of being together for an eternity?

**Tea's POV**

_The rain poured down from the sky as it thundered but all I could see was you. The cold rain splashed onto my skin, onto my cheeks but all I could feel was your hand in mine. Look at our hands, they are a perfect fit. You took my hand and we danced the moment away seemingly by the sea it was so beautiful. The water is gleaming under the light of the skies just like the oceans… Taking my hand you led me down the familiar streets of our home. Taking my hand you led me to dance with you on the overcrowded streets of Japan. _

_Strange that we never saw each other in such a light until the few sparse months past but now I feel as if I could come along with you to anywhere. As long as this amorous journey continues I'll follow you and from now I already know that there is no ending to an eternity._

_You were there for me even though I had nothing more to offer to you than my companionship to you. I feel as if you can guide me through anything. We've faced so many disasters together but we weren't really together until now. Together now dancing under the cold skies under the light of the skies I feel as if we are one._

"How does an eternity so to you, Tea?"

"An eternity?" She giggled softly, "It's a long time. Do you think you can stay for that long?"

"If I can't promise you that than what is there?"

They shared an embrace not caring a bit about the rain. Never seeing anything beyond each other's eyes they felt unattached to the world. Love is a drug, it blinds you to the person you really see, love is addicting and withdrawal is painful but we cannot survive without it. Whispering those words in their minds they took each other's hand and trembled not from the cold but from the bond that they had shared.

Lowering his head slowly he took her lips with his.

**Back at the Manor**

Hearing a smash Ryou awakened from his slumber on the living room couch. _The sound was from the kitchen._ Rushing to the room he witnessed Bakura as he tried to fix the coffee machine.

"Bakura, don't tell me that you broke it…"

Bakura placed it back on the counter and tried to pick up the broken glass, "I broke it."

Ryou's eyes were bugged out completely, "Kaiba is going to kill you…"

"No, I'm going to fix it."

"You've never fixed a thing in your whole lifespan of three thousand years. What makes you think you can fix anything?"

Bakura tossed away the shattered glass and stood up to survey the damage done to the high tech coffee machine.

"The priest can fix it then."

"Of course he's going to fix it. He's still going to kill you…"

Bakura casted a scowl at Ryou, "I doubt he has the capacity to kill."

Then hearing the front door slam Bakura opened the pantry and hid in it.

The couple was laughing jovially as they entered. Hanging up their coats and shaking the rain from themselves they wanted some warmth after the storm. Tea flicked on the TV while Kaiba went to search for a warm drink.

Seeing the British man blocking the doorway Kaiba couldn't help but feel apprehension, "Ryou?"

Ryou tried to look irritated, "Where did you two go? You didn't even leave a note then Bakura suddenly shows up to tell me that he was pinned to the roof by mail openers."

_That's it. Just stall him until I can offer him something else to drink…and hope that he doesn't catch on to the fact that his coffee machine has been reduced to a giant plastic paper weight…_

Kaiba hesitated. He really hadn't left a note or anything so it was only right that Ryou would worry.

"I apologize, for leaving so abruptly without leaving a trace. We just took a simple walk I didn't think we would be out for so long. As for Bakura, he had it coming…"

Kaiba took a step but Ryou didn't move aside.

"What did he do?" Ryou still tried to look mad at Kaiba, "I don't think it's just to pin people to the roof."

Kaiba chuckled under his breath, "It isn't just but for sending his horde of ants after me I followed up on my threat to him."

Suddenly Tea walked up to the two, "I asked you to make some hot cocoa for me and yet you're still standing here chattering on with Ryou. I'll just make it myself; do you want one too, Seto?"

Shrugging Kaiba agreed, "Sure why not?"

Then he went back to watching the television set.

Ryou sighed and turned around to face Tea standing right in from of him. He almost jumped but instead let out another sigh and muttered, "You gave me quite the scare."

Hissing angrily at a low whisper to him, "The coffee machine looks as if it had been through a train wreck! What happened?"

Ryou waved his arms about innocently as she dragged him into the kitchen, "I didn't do anything Bakura did something…"

"Don't you go about blaming me," shouted Bakura as he stepped out from the pantry.

Ryou and Tea simultaneously covered his mouth and waited for a reaction from Kaiba. Not hearing anything they released the thief and let out that breath they had been holding. Bakura was about to shout again when they quieted him and shoved him back into the pantry.

"Ok, here's the plan Ryou: I will make the drinks and go back to the living room. Roughly five minutes later I'll casually walk back into the kitchen to try and fix the machine. While I do that you stall him. After I've fixed some of it we switch places and we will do this until the machine is either fixed or Seto falls asleep."

"Why would Kaiba fall asleep?"

Tea waved the sleeping pill packet that she was lacing Kaiba's drink with.

"That's pretty cruel isn't it?"

"Seeing Bakura beaten to a pulp would be even crueler. I really don't want to see him throw you two out."

Ryou placed some of the screws that had popped loose from the fall back into their slots on the coffee maker. Mumbling sadly he said, "If it wasn't meant to last it wasn't meant to last…"

"It'll be ok, Ryou. Time to initiate the first step, wish me luck," Tea stepped into the living room all smiles.

It went well until Kaiba noticed Ryou come out to talk to him for the third time.

Before Tea could get back to the living room Kaiba walked into the kitchen.

"What have you two been doing?!"

Expecting something much bigger than a broken coffee machine Kaiba wasn't that really stunned.

But once the situation sunk in he yelled out, "Where's Bakura?!"

Bakura emerged from the pantry ready for a fight.

Kaiba withdrew a two foot long knife from the cutting block. Bakura simply raised a two mail openers threateningly.

The two charged together with an echo of battle cries the sound of metal screeching against metal was heard.

**Later on**

"It wouldn't have worked out even if we had stopped them, Ryou."

"No, it wouldn't," Ryou agreed.

"They'd just end up fighting some other day," Tea shrugged.

Ryou tried to think up something optimistic to say, "It was nice of Kaiba for giving us a house to stay in though. We won't have to pay for bills or taxes on it either…"

"Yeah, it was… Listen he would come out to say goodbye but…"

"I understand. See you some other day Tea. Good luck with taming him," Ryou waved goodbye and stepped into the big yellow taxi.

* * *

Ok, this is late. I know. I started this chapter on Thurday but it never finished itself.

From Reality to Fiction:

The two foot long knife: I have one. It looks as if it could be used as a sword.

Broken Coffee Machine: Used as a wedge to drive Bakura and Kaiba apart, basically.

Dancing in the Rain: Something I did a few days back. The girl who I was with wrote Tea's POV for me.

I have to do something on the weekend that will require time. The dance, the research I have to do or my Senior Project, and some time left behind as excess so I could hopefully give her a call.

She helped a lot with the writing of this chapter. I think it's evident that you can find tracings of her words among my ideas. Too bad I'm losing her…

* * *

Leave a thoughtful review

By the way I won't tell you if it was during the day or night that they had danced. It's for you to figure out… If you aren't sure go back and look.


	8. Searching Roses Smoking Ramen

I'm down to my last so called fifteen readers. It increased by two readers, woo hoo... I guess you all hate me or something but that's all right. Just speak to me; I'm getting bored with nothing to do.

This is where the plot is initiated. All the little sappy parts will be changed to one-shots outside of this story if I decided to write them.

Review Replies:

R0gue lebeau: Huge wedding, right? I'll try even though I don't like them. I joked around once and pretended to be married to this girlfriend of mine for as long as we were together. I had a ring and everything you know? That gold band clinked on every drink I held reminding me of the woman who was holding onto my heart strings, holding me back. It went well for what? Three years before it drove me to the brink of insanity and she removed it so we continued as we were for another year or so. Marriage doesn't seem to me like a happy thing even if it's a big blast of a wedding. Just to be awkward I'll write up the wedding.

Just for you I'll also write it out so that he does turn out to be a hero of some sort. But if I lose this fight in reality he will lose as well.

Violent Light: Just to make you feel guilty I hated Saturday night. I wanted to kill you it was so bad. You saw what happened you know how I reacted. I'm never going to another school dance. That's right prom can just screw itself, I know it's my senior year but I'm not going.

Some of this needs to be fiction it can't all be reenactments of real events. I guess it is sad that I don't remember why she had left but I'm afraid to ask her. I know what you mean. I was a bit of a statue to you guys wasn't I? How it ends in reality? Wait; don't tell me you already know where the storyline had come from…

Disclaimer: I don't own Ramen, YGO, Thalia Theatre, Budapest, the song Searching (Keresem) or anything.

* * *

"Seto, you didn't need to get rid of them you know? They were nice…"

Tea continued sweeping the kitchen floor while Kaiba sat away with his back to her.

"You know that I don't go all that well with Bakura, Tea. All of us were friends at some point but by now it's a matter of tolerance."

Hearing Kaiba exhaled loudly she turned around to see him smoking.

"Kaiba! Oh my God are you smoking?! Actually when have you ever picked up smoking?"

Eyebrows knitted with confusion he turned around and looked at her. Chopsticks in hand he was blowing at the ramen in the bowl he was eating.

"I thought that you were smoking…"

_He was just eating cup of noodles… I swear he was just smoking…_

Looking a bit concerned for her he asked, "Are you feeling ok?"

Laughing nervously Tea continued sweeping, "I'm ok…"

"I was thinking that I should go back to work. Mokuba says he's getting an overload of homework from his school…"

Tea finished cleaning up and came to sit across from him, "You can work from home can't you?"

Slowly Kaiba stood and walked into the living room, "I could but I feel fat and sassy just staying home all day."

_Fat and sassy? Since when is he fat and playfu_l?

"Take care of the house for me. You know that if you want to go out there are cars in the garage with their respective keys," he placed down his cup of ramen to slip into his trademark trench coat.

"Seto, you plan on just leaving me alone here?"

Looking back at her with an inquisitor's look he asked, "If you don't want to be left alone you can follow me but you'll be bored out of your mind."

"I'll go to the mall…"

Smirking he took the car keys and headed to the garage, "See you in a few hours, Tea."

Tea waved cheerily at him, "Have a nice time at work!"

Scowling slightly he closed the door. _A nice time at work? Who can find a nice time at work?_

As soon as he left Tea dove into his office. _He says he works from his office so that he doesn't need to come in anymore. Why the change? I don't believe that he is feeling fat and playful… Or did he lie to me those many days ago?_ Warily stepping onto the white plush carpeting of the office she couldn't help but remember the time where he smashed the glass of wine and cut himself. _Wait, why was there no wine spilled on the carpet? There was only blood and glass and I don't remember seeing a champagne bottle out even though there are champagne bottles in the shelves._ Tea opened one of glass cabinets revealing the wine bottles. Each one was covered with a fine layer of dust like snow. _None of them have been touched in a very long time… There's no way he could've drank from one of them without disturbing some dust from the other ones… I didn't even see an open bottle in the fridge ever since I came here. Was it all a __**lie**_

Stepping away from the bottles she turned her attention to the computer. Turning the machine on Tea sat on the chair feeling as if she was invading his privacy. _I am but I need to know. What has he been doing in here all of this time if he wasn't working?_ As soon as the computer flickered to life she saw the desktop background. _How cute, he still has the wallpaper set to the picture taken on their wedding day… _Then looking at the icons Tea noticed a file that had 'Bleach' written on it. Curious she clicked on it to see that he had taken DVD's and had downloaded them into his computer. _He watches Bleach…_ Closing the window she turned her attention to the start menu. The menu popped up showing that the very last program he had run was labeled simply as 'Duels'.

Curious as it was when she clicked on it she saw that picture he showed her when she had came into the room to give him coffee. She was about to close the window when the picture faded away revealing all of the files stored in it. They were all labeled simply as Duel I – Atemu or similar to that. They were all labeled simply and inconspicuously. Tea decided to click on one of them to just see how he had gotten the footage or had he simply just taken notes.

The window opened to reveal not anything about a duel against Bakura but about an assassination. Shocked about the information the file had contained Tea closed the window and clicked on another one. _Maybe that was placed there by mistake…_

The one she clicked contained no information on Duke but instead it spoke about Serenity's death. Reading down she discovered that he had placed little notes. 'The group is known as Shadow nothing more. They have only made a few strikes but few have been as successful as their hit on Serenity Kaiba.'

Tea grew confused. _I thought that the police gave this case up because of the little or no amount of evidence… Apparently Seto had stumbled on something and continued. _Tea continued reading the notes he had put down. Seeing nothing of interest though the brunette decided to open up another file. This one contained small journal entries. Scanning down Tea was curious if she would find the date of the day where she went into this office for the first time.

Finding the date she was curious to see what he had written. 'One of them was in the tree by my office window. I can't believe that I completely missed him. The window was open and single muffled shot broke through the screen. I barely dodged it but it struck the glass ornament on my desk. I don't know how much glass embedded itself in my skin from the shot but before I could act he threw a small knife and pinned my cuff to the door luckily not hitting anything else. I withdrew my pistol but was too late he was already gone. This wasn't the first sighting but I still think they're toying with me…

The later part of the day was spent up on the roof. I fell asleep apparently but Gardener woke me with her scrambling on my balcony. Why she was on my balcony? I hope that she knows the answer to that. I have no idea why but I offered her to join me on the roof during the storm. Why? Maybe I wanted to see if she trusted me. I think I'm beginning to grow attached to her… Her laugh is addicting to me.'

_He was being shot at?! Why didn't he tell me? Maybe he didn't want to involve me… Shit, I just… The best thing to do now is to act as if I don't know that they exist. I'll go to my room and listen to music and eat chips. That's exactly what I'm going to do…just act normal._

**Kaiba's POV**

_I don't know why but I have the sudden urge to shoot the president of my own company in the head right now._ Looking around he verified his thoughts. _It looks as if I'm not the only one. I hope she's alright. I haven't left her alone in my house before… She's not anything like Bakura but she seems to be the type who gets lonely easily. What are you saying Seto, she's probably celebrating the fact that she has the place all to herself. I better end this early and head back home…since when did I quit work for a woman? Since they entered my life and fiddled with it long enough to change it… _

Standing up Kaiba proclaimed, "We have heard these self same restrictions on numerous occasions, enough that we can all recite them by heart. I thank you all for welcoming me back nevertheless we should all be getting back to our families, thank you gentlemen for your time."

"But…but," the president began but everyone was already grumbling and heading out the door.

Kaiba content from the freedom grabbed his trench coat and swept out of the door. Upon entering the mansion he placed his trench coat back into the closet, slipped out of his shoes, and went in search of the lady that had been on his mind ever since he had left the house. Walking down the corridors he tried to think up the places she could be. _In her room the most liable of places._ Hearing his piano playing in the library he paused. _The last time I heard this song was in the Thalia Theatre in Budapest… She can't be playing this song can she?_

Leaning on the intricately patterned door of the library Kaiba listened as the song played itself. The emotions that flowed from it were so strong they could weave a story. As the song had reached its crescendo he entered quietly, stealthily and watched her from behind. He found himself enthralled in the sad slow ending notes of the melody. Noticing that she was too committed with the rhythm to notice him beside her Kaiba walked closer to watch.

As the song died out Tea took in a breath before she was going to play another song but before she did applause for her performance was heard. Turning around to face those dark blue eyes of his she found the reason why she had chosen that song. Searching was all she had done, searching of the heart it was, but finding whom that search was for was the euphoria in the moment.

Seeing him and only him Tea stood from her seat and leapt into his arms. He felt as though he hadn't met her in years from how tightly she was holding him. Sure he missed her too but he felt as if something was amiss.

Kaiba decided to hold her back a bit to look at her fully before asking gently, "What's wrong?"

"I…" Deciding to live with her guilty conscience she swallowed the truth and buried her head in his chest.

"What is it?"

"I just missed your presence around here…"

Nodding slightly he realized he forgot something. _I let myself too caught up in the moment I forgot that I held these in my hand…_

"These are for you. I just wanted to apologize."

Seeing the glimpse of red velvet petals wrapped in cellophane Tea let out a gasp of delight. Taking the gift from him she smiled brightly but then her brows knitted with confusion, "Apologize to me? What for?"

"You yelled at me the other day. I forgot what for but I remember you calling me a heartless bastard at some point so I thought that an apology was necessary."

Tea frowned, "I always called you that in high school. Why the roses all of a sudden?"

"You didn't mean as much to me then as you do now. I like you, Tea," he caught himself from stuttering the last line.

Tea giggled lightly and kissed him on the cheek, "I accept your apology although it wasn't needed as I was in the wrong as well in that argument."

Looking to the piano he complimented her, "You played that piece well. How did you know it?"

Shying from the limelight he was giving her she asked, "Why all of the compliments and apologies? I know you and you are not quick to throw compliments or apologize."

Smirking slightly Kaiba muttered, "If you don't want them…"

Tea spoke up defensively, "I don't mind them but it just isn't like you. As for me knowing the piece, Gyorgy Adam is a pianist genius. I love how he puts his own emotions into the music."

"I'd better get started on the deals they want me to pull through," he turned away from her and was about to head back into the dull confines of his office when she stopped him as he had predicted.

"Can you at least put off work for dinner?"

Agreeing with her he let Tea lead him to the dining room. _I don't sense anything particularly wrong but I have the strange impression that she's guilty over something. Could she have figured out? I'll wait it to find out. If she knows they could target her then what would I do?_

_I think he knows that I have found out. What will he do? How will he act? _

* * *

I know that this wasn't much but it's all I could write for today.

Reality to Fiction:

Ramen: I was eating ramen one day and my friend thought I was smoking…

Searching: That song is practically the only classical song I know. It's a damned good one too. I know you are probably wondering why a guy like me would be listening to classical when he should be listening to death metal. I need to have some soothing music in my life right? For that I choose this song that someone had me listen to.

Piano: I know it's cliché but my friends thought that I should add it. It seems that in most stories written about these two he leads her into his library and it's like Beauty and the Beast all over again except he has this piano in the middle of the room and she plays him some songs on it or something. I just had it to be cliché to tell you the truth.

Roses: I hope this wasn't too out of character. I'm one of those strange guys who buys floral gifts for whatever the reason. It's my only way of showing a sincere apology or thank you.

I kept on bringing up chapter three because it was highly needed.

Out of the fifteen readers I have left be my side…can I at least have three reviews? I'm begging you here but Violent Light, you don't count man.

Leave a thoughtful review.


	9. The Price of the Devil's Food

I gained double the amount of reviews I wanted. Thank you, really thank you. You've made a writer extremely content from the results. I don't know if that's a bad thing or a good thing for you but thank you.

….Just demoralize me and call me a chick. By the way I'm writing...you might as well... Aside from that I have nothing to say.

I'm feeling quite content today. Not happy but content. I got a new pair of socks (no holes yes) and a bowl of ramen for breakfast. For most of you that would be anything but glamorous but for me it's pure bliss for the fifteen minutes that the warmth and glory lasts.

Not surprising I went to school to find Violent Light before me kneeling pleading his eyes out. How supreme I felt in that moment when I rejected his pleadings. Yeah…

Review Replies:

R0gue lebeau: Writing things that mess up my sanity? I'm sane? Cool…

Thanks for caring but I don't remember the last time I ever felt that thing people call happiness. It's easy to pretend I'm 'happy' but it's hard to feel it. You're so awesome for sticking with me; I feel special however slight it may be.

Kitana18: The right statement to linger on is who wouldn't want to kill him? I will try to keep up your expectations. Thanks.

Mystical Aquafina: I apologize for getting you addicted to my writing… Addiction isn't good… Even if it's an addiction to something as simple as stories but eventually your eyes dry out from reading then what are you going to do? Of course my bad humor has you tilting your head to the side staring at this strangely (yes, like that)… I'll continue this until I run out of plotlines to write. How's that?

Lani: Thank you for finding it interesting. If you feel like you already know what's going to happen then please tell me. I want to know what happens next too. I'm being totally out in the open and honest when I'm sitting here writing out that I have no idea what happens next. I have the next five chapters of plot but that's it. After that it's all on the ice.

Serenityshizuka: Thank you for thinking this story as great. The ideas are new of course. Where do you think I got them from you silly lady, the garbage? If you think you can't come up with my ridiculous ideas I think you can. How hard can it be? Scribble down random plotlines out from your own life and sculpt it into a fictional sense. …That's exactly what I did… I was writing down my screwed up love life when my teacher came by and thought that I was writing a story…now here I am. If you need some inspiration just talk to people and ask them about the things that went right and wrong. These little bits and pieces may end up as new plotlines or new characters. Either that or hang around in a coffee shop or any public place that's fairly full. I hang out in the Laundromat, woo hoo.

Priestess of Light: Cute…again weird word to me… I lived with my ex once so that's how I got the idea of them living together. I try to update whenever I can. Seriously I try. No need to apologize about your English. I totally understand because here's a bilingual person as well! My friends make fun of my bad English. Good thing you can hear my accent through these words…that would be worse. So don't apologize for being Brazilian you can't change who you are or where you're from so why apologize when it isn't your fault?

Violent Light: You find it funny that I'm a poor high school kid like you? You find it funny? I'm kidding.

I got puked on and you are saying it isn't that bad…  
I'll go to prom if you can buy me a new tux and as long as you don't get me a date. That last chick, Heather was a bit repulsive. I'm not saying it to be mean but she just sent shivers up my spine. Don't laugh they aren't the good shivers. Like a bad omen kind of shiver. Overly preppy (no offense but I feel strangled around those high maintenance girls) and smelled as if she bathed in perfume.  
Push Duke into the water, huh? No, someone is bound to notice the football jock missing. Besides if his crew finds out that I threw him overboard I'm just going to end up with three broken ribs and laying in a gutter like before. It's worth it. Bones heal but memories don't fade.

Disclaimer: I don't even own this rose I'm nibbling on do you think I own YGO? Well, I don't own YGO, Captain Crunch, Devil's Food, and since you can't own memories I don't own what happens in the first few paragraphs of this chapter.

* * *

Out on the streets before noon a blue eyed girl merrily skipped down the slick cleaned streets of Domino. The street cleaner had already passed by making the sidewalks glisten as if they didn't only clean but sprinkled crystals of white creating the sheen and glitter that pricked your eyes on sight. Being early and most importantly before breakfast Tea had risen early from the sun's rays shining so dutifully in her room, efficiently waking her senses. Now with white shopping bags held in hand she returned back to the place she left her borrowed car to drive back down the streets to a mansion she now called home.

Tipping up the visor to block the gleam and brilliance of the new day she delved into her thoughts. _How can you be so rich to have a walk in fridge practically but have no cake in it? What is life without the sweet indulgence of cake? Seriously, he doesn't know how to live life…_

Opening that giant yawning door of an entrance Tea stumbled in with the newly bought possessions. Stacking all of the food into the enormous cold steel trap known as a refrigerator to man. Delicately the girl held the prized possession that led her to go to the bakery to begin with. It was barely the size of the hind wheels of a big tricycle. Splitting it into four slices the girl ended up eating half of the cake before gaining self conscious about gaining weight. Staring at the slices of chocolate Heaven with a guilty feeling Tea decided to tuck the sweet delight in the fridge to save for later.

Gently rasping her tongue across her fingertips, licking the chocolate frosting away the young lady decided to go for a swim. _It was such a cute little cake. I can't wait to eat it later._

When she was too busy swimming Kaiba stalked the halls with fasting pains swelling in his stomach. Feeling quite miserable he searched for some breakfast to ease the pain. Searching through the cabinets with after sleep affecting his vision he blearily saw an intriguing over cheery yellow box with an optimistic pirate captain on the cover.

_Cereal, yum; the ultimate breakfast food ever created…_ Muttering to himself he strode over to the fridge for milk. _I'll have a cup of coffee afterwards…with these shaky hands I doubt that I could even drink a sip before spilling it everywhere…_

Pulling out the milk he uncovered the hidden Devil's Food. _What do we have here?_ Taking out the milk and the last two slices of the small fudge cake Kaiba had breakfast.

After her relaxing swim Tea hoped to have some cake before making lunch for Kaiba to take to lunch because he hated the cafeteria's food and if not for her he'd just sit in that office eating coffee beans and drinking coffee. Instead, her plan crumbled to pieces when she had stepped into the kitchen to find the retched man chomping down the last scrumptious bites of her cake.

"Good morning Tea," he greeted automatically glancing at the woman. Turning his head to look at her instead of just seeing her from the corner of his vision he blandly noticed that Tea seemed more than just a little riled.

"You little man child!" Shaking him roughly she screamed at him.

_What is she doing to me?_ Being shaken senseless he wasn't able to do anything because he was being sense deprived.

"That was mine! That was mine," Tea fell to her knees to the cold white marbled stone that numbed like ice. Feeling like crying her eyes out over that last piece of cake just to make feel him guilty she punched at his chest weakly.

_Is she crying? I don't deal well when girls cry…_ Trying to be consoling in his own way Kaiba suggested, "If you don't mind how it looks I can spit it out for you."

"Ewww, that's nasty! Kaiba, you evil man child," she shoved him lightly while he just stared at her wondering what was so special about the cake.

_What's a man chil_d? "I can go buy another one…"

"It's the last one left over from yesterday," she muttered darkly.

"I can spit it out if you want…"

"Seto that was mine! I deserved it for cleaning up your house for you, feeding you, making you coffee, and I deserved it… You ate it…"

Having experienced Serenity's many tantrums against him he had long developed escape plans for every situation. Being hit above the eyebrow with a hot hair dryer and singed changes every man's view upon his lover. Seeing the flare of anger in her eyes he decided to run an escape route through his mind. Having the feeling that she would very much like to inflict pain on him he wanted to just escape. Slowly getting up from his seat Kaiba moved close to her and placed his arms around her. As Tea closed her eyes and braced herself for the embrace he swept out of the room without touching her.

"Going to work," grabbing his trench coat he planned his escape. It was the only thing on his mind.

"You can't just," Tea shouted.

"Just did. Love you," with that never dying habit echoing in her ears he was gone.

_Love? Me? I can't believe I scared him away… Poor guy is going to starve now I didn't have time to make him lunch. Why am I so stupid? It was just a cake. I could just bake myself a cake actually… I think I'll do that and wait for his return._

* * *

Driving down the familiar and mundane roads leading him to work he stopped at a red light just a few hundred yards from his destination. _I don't have lunch… Was there even any to grab? I should have left later she made me lunch… Yum, coffee beans for lunch…_

As the crowd of people walking to work begins starting their trek across the giant crosswalk Kaiba got a call on his cell by an unrecognized number. Nevertheless he picked it up, "Kaiba."

He stated his name plainly and continued looking out of his windshield at the multitudes that were still flooding the crosswalk.

"Listen, we have your girlfriend," the voice was undulating and switching constantly as the person stated it. _He has a voice changer… Wait, I just left her thirty minutes ago…girlfriend?_

"If you ever want to see her face again attached to her body as a whole," then the voice paused as if switching users.

"You can have her back safe and sound for the price of seven gold trinkets."

_The millennium items? Why are they targeting __**me**__ for this?_

"Just to show you how serious we are we'd like you to watch the duelist walking across the street just in front of your car. See him," the mechanic voice asked.

They didn't leave Kaiba room to answer because without a single sound of a shot the duelist collapsed as if from an eternal implosion of sorts. No one noticed the fallen man until Kaiba stepped out of his car. _They wouldn't shoot me so who am I to care right now?_

Walking to the body that laid inert on the road in front of his car Kaiba felt the city air billowing about him but suddenly the wind changed direction and the scent of freshly spilled blood filled his senses. Reeling from the familiar feeling of death and its putrid scent he willed himself to see how the guy was killed. Blasted lumps of gray and red lie on the road behind the man. _Quite a splatter so the sniper must have been a long distance away._ Looking up at the glass buildings that penetrated the skies with their glory and shining light of power he felt trapped. _The gunman could've been on any rooftop on any building. Damn it._ Turning his attention back on the body he noticed that blood had seeped into the ground and dark stain on the white crossing in the shape of a blowing flower around the cadaver's head.

His cell phone still in hand and held to his ear he barely caught them speaking to him.

"A grisly sight isn't it? More of it awaits you once you return from work," the crackled voice said before the long pause again.

A slightly higher pitched voice continued, "You have a week, Seto Kaiba. Remember we have her held here. After the time limit has passed we will send you little pieces of her. A nose, an ear, a finger or two will be found lying in locations around your house, your office, wherever you are. We hold many people in our organization so don't act stupid. If you spill your guts to the cops then the blame of her death will be directed onto you immediately. Careful how you act. It's better to act as if everyone around you is one of our agents. The whole audience gasping behind you could be us. Any of your workers could be one of us working there for twenty years for this to work. We ensure you her safety until the deadline…"

Yet, another voice continued the last statement, "All you have to do is give us the items and she will be let go…"

Kaiba scoffed, "Why are you targeting me instead of someone who actually gives a damn about the hocus pocus magic bull shit? Is there actually something interesting about targeting me? I assure you once I'm done with your organization you'll be begging to get a job from me."

The strange hacking sound that rasped harshly in his ear sounded like a laugh of some kind, "You bluff. Remember we have the hostage while you are the victim. And why you? Why not you? You aren't in their group but yet you know everyone who has the millennium items. That's a valuable deal. We aren't after riches from the gold so forget about trying to exchange her for cash. You will end up involving everyone one of the seven but you don't care right, since it's her life at risk?"

_Of course I know all of the twerps who hold those irritating items. They said seven… Obviously they don't know everyone who holds an item. That's why they need me._

Holding back his rage Kaiba asked blandly, "Seven days? One day for every item is it?"

"Of course. We've expected that you have other organization planning their vengeance against you as well. The seven days is the longest we can extend it to. Keep your cell phone and that Jaguar classic of yours close. By now you've probably realized that they have been bugged. All of your other cars as well but we know you like that black Jaguar of yours so keep it close."

_Other organizations? That must mean they are feeling contempt at beating the others first in getting Tea… Who else could be seriously getting after me? I'll figure it out later. There must be a reason for them choosing this car. I use it more than I use the others… What's the reason?_

A low chuckling resounded from the deeper mechanical voice, "You may think we are called Shadow but that's not us…"

"Of course, you are the group that disbanded Shadow and are calling yourselves, Sirve Ou Demon."

_They must have read what Tea was looking at on my computer and speculated that I didn't know who they were meaning that they haven't viewed upon my actions as of before that day where they shot at me. Probably too busy knocking Shadow off of their post. The lead assassin from Shadow must be leading this group… _

"I'll get the items for within the week."

The voice switched over again, "You aren't going to try and deal with us? No compromises? No begging?"

_There must be at least four guys in their group who are speaking to me. Either that or he has a really good system._

Looking up at the skies again for anyone silhouetted against the sun's glare but they weren't that careless, "There is no way to deal. No fairness or equality. And why should I beg?"

"You sound just as the son of Gozaburo should. Keep your phone close we will call again later…"

They kept speaking but as soon as he heard that they had nothing left to say he hung up and called the emergency number for the man in front of his car.

"A man has been shot down in front of my car. I'd like some assistance preferably soon," Kaiba knew that they could already know what street he was on so he didn't care to tell them.

"Is he breathing if," the lady began.

"The back of his head is missing I doubt he would be getting up anytime soon," he interrupted.

"I'm sending a unit as we speak please stay calm. Can you disclose your name for homicidal procedures?"

"Seto Kaiba."

A gasp was heard on the other side a reaction he was familiar to, "Have….Have a good day… Mr. Kaiba."

"Hnnn," Kaiba shut his cell and thrusted it into his pocket before leaning against his car and waited. _How can I have a nice day or stay calm? My time is draining, I need to obtain all of those retched items before the week has ended and I have to contact the cursed palm tree brothers. They still look absolutely ridiculous after all of these years…I was hoping it had been a teenage phase… They are going to want to butt in like always along with my brother in law once he hears of this. I'm going to kill myself if their whole gang revives itself and shoves me back to the sidelines…not that they'd care. _

Soon the sirens were heard and the crowd that had formed around him had begun to disperse. Knowing police procedures he stayed by his car and waited for them to ask him the same irritating questions over and over again before he can return home and hopefully not find a limb or two on the kitchen floor.

* * *

I initially wanted Mokuba to be kidnapped but the kid has been used against his brother so many times I had to set it up so Tea got captured in his place. I'm one of those lazy people who don't like creating new characters so all of the antagonists will be someone from the show.

Devil's Food: I was hungry one morning and opened the fridge to find the last slice of chocolate cake with cacao frosting. It was like Heaven but it belonged to my roommate and she beat me senseless with a chair for eating her cake. Written to how she saw it as I ate her cake. She called me a little man child. Does anyone of you know what that means? Note: Never take sweets from a girl who can lift a dining chair over her head and beat you to a bloody pulp with it.

Husband: I'm taking an inspirational stroll. If you have read this book by Koont's then you have most likely realized that I stole their storyline. Actually not really…instead of wife I replaced it with Tea who is neither girlfriend nor wife. Aside from the following statement I took nothing except the fact that they have him cornered: We have your girlfriend. You can have her back for seven gold trinkets.

That was the only line I stole. I swear. Actually I just realized that I've changed the line so maybe I didn't steal a thing. If you have read the book don't worry that this will end the same. I haven't read the book only the cover.

Have you enjoyed this chapter?

Are you waiting for the next installment?

Do you want to kill me by now?

Anyways please review.

Again I'm only pleading for three… Please?


	10. Gifts of Spilled Blood

**Happy Chinese New Year's!** Hell yeah, time to blow up shit with fireworks...

Will you people stop trying to cheer me up? Please, it's just aggravating me. I'm talking to you Aardwolf, Violet Light, and Random Dude. You know who you are. Drawing happy faces all over the freaking place doesn't bring happiness into anyone's day, ok? Especially painting the yellow things all over my locker so that everyone in the school will know who to give their sympathy to. Not to sound cold but that's just who I am. I don't want your charity or your pities so just leave me.

**About Kaiba's** emotions...I know he's acting relatively calm for someone who has just seen some guy's brains splattered across the pavement but think about it. I showed his expressionless gaze because I wanted to reveal the items that really hit him hard: Serenity's death and Tea's abduction.

I got two reviews... Looks like you are beginning to hate me now aren't you? Whatever, I don't care. As long as the reader count is above three now that I know my friends are into this little reading as well...

**Reader Replies: **

Evil goddess saiya: Thank you so much for liking it. If I've made you a fan you better check out the other writers on it. Trust me they are way better than I am…

R0gue lebeau: Seriously don't worry about me, ever. It's better to live your own and life and hold onto your own desires than worry about little straggling fools like me. Besides I'm feeling content this weekend. It's New Years and even though I'm a half breed I celebrate it. Who wouldn't feel content blowing up stuff? I think I'm going to tilt the mini artillery set so that it hits the neighbors...

Violent Light: Of course those two are in there. Funny the guys are reading this, wonder who led them to it... If any one of you calls me a girl no amount of brotherhood will hold me back…

About Duke, he caught me in the parking lot. I'm not one to back down from anything especially him. I waited for him to make the first move but just as I dodged him I noticed his 'friends' behind me. I was caught unaware and I paid for it in full price. When you saw me **I had already lost the fight**. They had picked me up and rammed me a few times. Does the head wound look that bad? He slammed his head against mine pretty bad.

I'm not shallow like you Light. I can never like a girl just for her looks. Looks are good but if her teeth are falling out of her head because she vomits after every meal I'd rather have an average girl. I can't even attract a girl let alone the hot cheerleaders you call a good rut so who am I to choose? My best features are my eyes and they are shadowed by these offensive bangs of mine the rest of me is either scarred horribly or pierced in an attempt to draw eyes away from the scars. I can't believe I agreed in joining track with you…

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or anything.

* * *

Returning to the manor an hour and thirty minutes later than he wanted Kaiba felt idiotic in letting them trick him. _They didn't strike until they knew I felt comfortable and had let my guard down. They let me think that it was safe leaving her in this place alone. Even if I was in the house they still could have killed her to get to me. They are trying to show that they are patient and are willing to wait until the conditions suit them before acting. Most likely they have bugged the house and have it on surveillance. If I went to my surveillance room they would probably hurt Tea. _

_If they bugged the house the best place would be the garage. They could easily be hiding in any of the cars and flee once I open the door and let in light just like a cockroach. They bugged the car and my cell phone. If they went that far the house phone must be bugged as well. They are bound to get cocky at some point and lose their grip on the strings and that's when I show them I'm not the kind of puppet that you can so easily pull into submission._

Tentatively he entered his home well knowing that one member could have strayed to watch over his actions. Expecting blood and gore splattered across the halls Kaiba was a bit surprised to find no sign of a struggle as he closed the door behind him. No tell tale signs of a tragic event happened wherever he looked. The stairs were void and sneaking a quick look into the living room he saw no body or any blood. Kaiba walked to the kitchen anticipating for something to wash down the rising bile in his throat.

Upon reaching the kitchen the thick coppery scent that milled through the air assaulted him sending him reeling from the sight and scent of blood. The puddle of blood by the kitchen sink stained the white marble like blood on snow. The smeared handprints screamed to him in more ways than sound ever could. Screaming silently of death throws…

Distracting himself from the scene Kaiba noticed a half frosted cake on the counter with a bowl of whipped cream lying on its side. Placing the two items into the fridge he tried to slow his ever racing thoughts. Not being able to will himself to mop up the blood he just let it sit and coagulate. Suddenly a shrill cry broke the silence startling him in the abrupt presence of sound. _They are calling…_

Taking a deep breath but still hesitant Kaiba picked up the phone. Forgetting the undying habit of saying his name when he picked up the phone Kaiba asked, "Hello?"

"Seto," a grateful sigh came from the other end hearing the sound of his voice.

"I'm in the kitchen," he started wanting an explanation.

"Don't mind the blood Seto. Don't mind it. I only have a little time to speak to you…"

…_Maybe never again… _

"I shouldn't have… I'm so sorry Tea… I know apologies don't save you but…"

It kept everything she had to not cry out to him to vent her frustration at being blind folded and caught by the creeps, "It's not your fault. It was never your fault, Seto. You have to stop blaming yourself for every little thing."

"Tea, I…"

"Seto, I trust you. I trust that you will do everything you can for me but if anything happens. If you lose…"

Kaiba gritted his teeth at the sound of her helpless cries and tried to assure her, "Tea, nothing is going to happen to you."

"No, listen to me Seto. If anything happens just promise me this…"

Without any thought of vacillation he said, "I promise…"

"Promise that you won't fall apart. Keep on living your life. Live for me if not for yourself, Seto. Promise me," Tea urged him.

"Nothing is going to happen," he started.

"Promise me, Seto. Please don't be reckless, don't lose your grip. I don't want you to die because of me…"

"I promise… I'll come for you."

"I miss you," Tea said quickly before the sound of silence broke them apart.

_Most likely the phone was taken from her_. As soon as he heard someone pick up the phone Kaiba threateningly said, "Mark my words you will pay if you hurt her."

The mechanical voice chuckled on the other end. Mockingly the man said, "You are in no position to make threats…Seto."

Gritting his teeth he spoke to the stoic calm voice, "Why didn't you face me directly? Are you afraid of coming at me eye to eye?"

"Your bravado is not that large to frighten us but we like to feel secure."

_Tea said that she knew that I was in the kitchen meaning that I was right that they had bugged the house. _

"I will get you the damned items but if you hurt her…"

Sounding smug the assassin countered, "What did I tell you about making threats? Besides I've already hurt her, look at the kitchen floor if you want proof of it. Use your time wisely, you only have a week or less if we find it necessary to throw away a day or two. At the end of the week we'll notify you of the drop."

With all of the information told the man hung up.

Instead of lingering in the kitchen brooding about the blood that coated the floor in crimson or about the mistakes he made to lead to her abduction Kaiba ran for his office. Once in the room he began FURIOUSLY pulling out the drawers that the mahogany bookshelf stood on top of. With five rows to go through he didn't care which order he pulled them out. Not even caring for the contents that jumped from the drawers he continued yanking them out.

_It has to be here. No matter how ridiculous it was I didn't toss it. _

Not even pausing to close or fix the drawers after ripping them from their rails Kaiba continued his harried search. Desperate to fix the mistakes he had created in his absent mind he fought to try and patch it up like a blind man trying patch up a sinking raft.

Pausing on the opening of the next to last drawer Kaiba saw the carefully white wrapped box. The cream colored box was held together by gold ribbons. The label scrawled out at the top, almost haphazardly was his name. _And Atemu called my penmanship bad… Why Yugi gave this to me as a wedding gift I haven't the slightest clue but it has a use now. Hopefully I can use it to save her… _

Fumbling with the ribbons holding it shut Kaiba decided to tear the whole thing apart causing the object to clatter to the thick carpet with a dull thud. Tossing the empty box into the wastebasket he picked up the millennium rod and stared into its eye. _This thing can control minds? Pfffth whatever…_ Slipping it into his belt loop Kaiba threw on his trench coat and left the bugged house.

_The closest person right now who has a gold trinket is Bakura. What am I supposed to say? I'm raising a fund towards the ransom of Tea Gardener. Instead of money you'll have to give up your golden jewelry. That sounds incredibly nonsensical to me…_

Driving towards Bakura's place at his reckless pace Kaiba sped through more red lights than he intended but like when the days were younger and the times richer with fond memories the cops didn't dare pull him. The house was in a cul-de-sac sitting there like the day his brother had bought it. The kid planned to go to the college right down the street but a girl had caught his eye and he followed her right down to Australia.

Stepping out of the Jaguar and walking up the whitewashed doorstep Kaiba knocked upon the door.

As soon as he knocked a white haired man opened it revealing the fact that he had been ready to go somewhere or had just gotten back, "Kaiba, how can I help you?"

"Is your brother home?"

Ryou looked at the CEO with slight curiosity. _When has Kaiba ever asked for Bakura?_

"No, he's at work. Why do you need him?"

Not caring for an invitation in Kaiba walked in and sat in the living room. Ryou closed the door and went to join him wondering what was going on.

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba muttered under his breath trying to slow down his breathing and catch his breath before he completely lost himself to the wave of panic, "They could be listening in, but I doubt it… Ryou, I need your ring."

* * *

I know this is over twenty four hours late… Yell at me if you want…

Reality to Fiction:

Phone call: The phone call where Tea and Kaiba were speaking was actually taken from a conversation I had. She wasn't captured by some insane guys she was just with another guy. She told me not to be reckless and pick fights with him but I end up in these confrontations anyway. He hit her on accident when she tried to fend for me. In my mind she should've just let him hit me rather than get punched to the other side of the room. She told me not to mind the blood on her cheek and that's where that line came from. Later on she told me not to get all depressed again like I had after losing the girl before her. Funny how the hands of fate like to pick on me.

Yep, I'm starting to write more in this story instead of just altering real events.

So can I have at least three reviews this time?

At least tell me why it sucks if you hate it ok? I'll try and change it…


	11. Big Five Nightclubs And Assassins

I learned that I have fangs… I never noticed them until I smiled at myself in the mirror. Guess I'm just one of those lucky bastards who can smirk but not smile what is up with that? Carrie if you're reading through this I must say that you are wrong. I don't look better with a smile if anything I look malicious and it isn't a good thing.

Reviewer replies:

Evil goddess saiyajin: You don't need to apologize for something that isn't your fault, especially if it's entirely my fault. The emotions are emerging well…I like that. Thank you.

Kitana18: I'm sorry it wasn't that long. It really was over two thousand words but I guess that isn't enough was it? I'll try to lengthen up my chapters. I'll try to update faster so you guys don't get bored and step out.

Mystical Aquafina: I stopped there because I was tired enough to fall asleep on my keyboard. I did that once and woke up to find the keys sticking to my face. (Stupid things pop off all the time) I hope he gets her back before it's too late too. I have doubts though… Thank you for reviewing here's a virtual cookie of atonement for the cliff hanger.

R0gue lebeau: LOL holy crackers! Your expression was just too strange for me not to comment on it. I found out the main reason for me not wanting you to fuss over me. The guys probed this explanation from me… Call it my big ego or whatever but I just know that if you worry over me then that automatically means you care more about my well being than I do. I cannot allow that I'm just that way…

Serenityshizuka: My life if it was ever boring I'd revel in it. It's better than having this dull ache gnawing at you all the time… But a little action never hurt too much. Actually action hurts never obtain rivals or enemies who have goons that's when the action increases and pain escalates…

Aardwolf: No, just flat out telling you now. No. I'm never going to end up like Dave Chappell. I'm not getting soft…I dare you to say that to my face… You'll join track with me and Light just because of that stunt you pulled? You should tell those more often.

Be wary Wolf I'll take away that hookah of yours and shove it Light's laundry basket if you criticize my right to leadership ever again.

Violent Light: I have fangs? I guess I do have a creepy smile but that's the reason why I smirk. Don't get involved with any of my confrontations. If I lose I lose but I won't live with myself if I let you get hurt as well. You hear that Light? The guys were right in holding you back strange how they know me more than you do. Why do you all consider me the leader of the group anyways? If there was an election poll or vote of some kind why wasn't I invited?

You are SHALLOW. If I could describe you with one word that's what you would be. After that you're just painfully loyal.

How is running in circles wearing short shorts good for me? If you wanted me to join a sport with you why couldn't it be something like soccer where you could kick people and actually use strategy? Track and field is just running, jumping, throwing, and more running…Absolutely pointless.

Tsunami doesn't play a role in this story so sorry. Kemo plays a minor role but not as a direct antagonist. Siegfried is correct but as for Dartz I'm not sure just yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO. I barely even can get a grasp of the storyline as it is…

Ryou spotted the rod hanging from Kaiba's hip. "Why, what's going on?"

Looking up from his hands in his lap Kaiba said, "Tea has been kidnapped. She is being ransomed at the price of the items. They are completely useless as of now but that's the price they have left me with."

Ryou's eyes widened, "Tea, kidnapped? I thought she'd be safe with you…"

"Apparently if I forget to change the security system for a month everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong," Kaiba looked up into Ryou's brown eyes expecting some kind of understanding.

"Why would they want the millennium items? They don't even work anymore; well for me and Bakura anyways…"

"How am I supposed to know? I played as the whole non-believer in this until the very end. All I know is that either they believe that the items would make good fashion statements or they have found away to restore their powers," muttering to himself so softly Ryou had to strain to hear him, "and I don't think it's the preceding."

"I'll give you my ring but you'd want Bakura's as well. Detecting other items is the only thing they can do ever since we used them to…"

"Separate your souls, I know. But it may be best for you to just give up your items to Yugi. They are targeting me directly at this point so I could easily lose them," Kaiba looked up hearing the door slam.

"Ryou, we were supposed to switch shifts thirty minutes ago. You can't expect me to rule over the nightclub until midnight! What is wrong with you?!"

Stomping out of the entrance hall seeing Ryou sitting casually in the living room Bakura was about to shout at the man again when he saw an unexpected visitor on his couch.

"Kaiba," came the low snarl.

"Bakura," Kaiba just looked at the thief frankly. _Night club? If stereotypes are true these two __**would**__ be vampires… _

Ryou looked over at Kaiba but the other man didn't say anything leaving him to explain it all to Bakura. "Tea has been kidnapped, Bakura…"

Heaving a sigh Bakura sat down in the couch between Kaiba and Ryou, "So? How is it my problem this guy lost his mate?"

_Mate, how is Tea my mate all of a sudden?_

"She is being held for ransom at the price of the items. We have to help somehow Bakura."

Looking down at the ring resting on his chest Bakura asked, "Do you have any idea who's pulling the strings in this, Priest?"

Snorting at the title thrown at him he replied with a question of his own, "If I had any idea who this freak is what makes you think I'd be here before you asking for your facilitating hand in this?"

"What do I get out of this, Kaiba? I won't give up my ring just because you ask me to…"

Ryou inwardly wanted to hit Bakura but refrained from doing so in Kaiba's presence; before he could say that the cause was for Tea's sake not Kaiba's an offer was already thrown.

"I'll give you two million for the ring and the eye."

Thinking of all the gold that could buy Bakura became curious of the bait, "For sure?"

Rolling his eyes Kaiba confirmed, "Yes, Bakura. Have we met an understanding? A million for each is a reasonable since the two are useless."

Bakura shrugged mulling over the deal before agreeing. Getting from their seats the two shook on it but before Kaiba sat down a gold eye was thrust into his vision.

"Here," staring at the thing that was once in Pegasus' eye socket Kaiba felt repulsed.

"Hand the rings and the eye over to Yugi, Bakura. Not me," he scribbled out a check quickly and handed it to Bakura, "Here's the money."

"You bought them for the Pharaoh? How could you? I thought that we could be allies at least," Bakura trailed off watching as Kaiba simply walked away, "Aggravating Priest."

Walking around Bakura and saying goodbye to Ryou he left the more munificent brother to explain the situation properly. _Night club…they spent the extra cash I gave them to set up a nightclub…maybe Tea was right about them… _

Getting into his car he drove out of the cul-de-sac to the next place he knew of that held a millennium item. _Isis should still be visiting her brothers. She has about a week left in Domino, right? I should've paid more attention when Tea was talking about visiting the four…_ But, driving down the highway leading to Isis's home though he felt as if something was amiss…

_It's completely empty… Why am I the only one driving down this highway? It's not late enough for it to be this devoid of traffic. It was completely clogged this morning when I had left the house it shouldn't be this empty just a few hours later…_ From suspicion Kaiba slowed down to scan the roads fully along with the houses on the sides. He didn't know what to look for but he knew he would know what it was when he saw it. A deep rumbling buzzing sound came from the cup holder, letting go of the stick Kaiba picked up his phone.

Flipping it open he listened for the caller too wary to answer.

"Why have you slowed down? What's going on, Kaiba?"

The mechanical voice asked as if slightly curious. _He's trying to show how much control he has over me by trying to prove he knows where I am… Let's see how much control he has after this…_

Almost mocking, "Is this place worthy of your reminiscing or is it significant in a way?"

"Shut up," Kaiba scanned the road coming to a complete stop at the traffic sign. Still holding the phone to his ear he watched the buildings with a keen eye.

"You can't tell us to shut up! Do you want her dead? Will we be doing you a favor if we take her?"

Without answering to their sneers Kaiba reached under the driver's seat to come up empty handed. _Fuck, they removed the weapons as they bugged it._ Snarling into the phone, "Did you leave any pieces in this car?"

"Why, so you can use it against us?"

_The henchmen have been speaking to me ever since I told them to shut up. He must see the inconceivable error of not gaining anything from me before my premature demise from another organization…_

Immediately he saw a shadow on the roof of a building beside him. It was so swift he could've blamed his eyes for deceiving him by showing that past image but Kaiba knew better than to doubt his own mind. Easing up on the break he let the car start moving on its own with its slow gait to watch the surroundings carefully before pressing on the gas heading at a good pace to show that he wasn't the least suspecting their company. Then seeing another small group's shadows as they were running behind the houses Kaiba concluded that it was a trap. Not created by the crew he was speaking to but by another group that had been anticipating him to leave his almost impregnable technology fortress. Here he was now completely out in the open and unguarded Kaiba just wondered how they found out.

Abruptly the deep but slightly raspy voice that he recognized as the head of the assassins crackled in his ear with an electronic hum, "There's a small pistol in your passenger side door compartment. You should be able to see it from where you're sitting. If you're as smart as you claim you're that's all you'll need."

Glancing down quickly Kaiba noticed the muzzle of the gun surreptitiously looking up at him with its perilous gleam. Three magazines were still tucked in beside the weapon. Not being able to reach over to the passenger's side without looking suspicious he decided to hang up his cell and keep driving towards Isis. A few silhouettes followed him. _Do they know where I'm going?_ Deftly he dialed Isis's number.

_Damn, she isn't picking up_… About to hang up Kaiba paused upon hearing the soft click of a phone against its receiver.

"Isis here," a few cluttering crashes were heard followed by her failing to muffle the phone completely, "Malik, stop shoving that lime down Rashid's throat! You hear me? Stop it! Marik, get away from the kitchen. Marik! Get away from the kitchen!"

"Isis, I," Kaiba started once she listened but he was cut off by what sounded like a paint can hit the wall and ricocheting off.

"I'm trying to speak to someone here! Shut the Hell up!"

Used to dealing with a hyperactive younger brother Kaiba wasn't really bothered by the yelling just the chaos in the background that stopped him from being heard.

"Kaiba?"

"Isis, you," being cut off again by an interrupting projectile that he couldn't see Kaiba wanted to scream at the top of his lungs from the frustration even though he knew it wouldn't help. Instead he hung up and tried to calm himself enough to think rationally.

Seeing the house just a short distance off Kaiba parked on the curb just a few yards between him and the house. Adeptly he pulled the weapon from the passenger's side and slipped on the ankle holster that it was attached to. Slipping the magazines into his pockets as if they were a simple object as a cell phone the CEO stepped onto the deck and knocked on the door.

_Strange they haven't done anything since I drove into this section of the neighborhood. Most likely they are from a bigger organization than the one that has Tea… _

"Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

Ignoring the egg and flour that decorated Marik's face Kaiba stepped into the house. Marik glared at the man as he entered without care but other than that he didn't oppose Kaiba.

Looking around the slightly skewed living room Kaiba dusted off one of the couches and sat down before asking, "Where's Isis?"

"I'll go get her for you," grumbling Marik limped away looking for his sister for their 'guest.'

After a few minutes the elder woman came from the direction of the messy kitchen. She looked out of breath but on edge. _Probably_ _from yelling at her brothers_…

"Kaiba, you called," Isis said as she sat down across from him.

Noticing that her dress was off center, her hair frazzled at the ends, but her expression severe Kaiba was just a tad curious about the situation before he had arrived. "Of course, but since our conversation wasn't going as I planned I decided to stop by. I hope it isn't that much of displeasure to have my presence here."

Isis had a look of inquisitiveness as she asked, "No it isn't Kaiba. Now, tell me why you have so graciously turned up on my doorstep. I don't think it is something as simple as a dropped call…"

Pursing his lips together looking grave Kaiba just shook his head slightly, "It's never simple. Can you do me a favor, Isis?"

"Favor; Kaiba, when have you ever asked anyone for favors? It must pain you to do this."

"Don't mock me. Just give your necklace to Yugi for me. If you have any questions ask Ryou he'll be able to explain the situation if you haven't already foreseen it," standing Kaiba was ready to take his leave. As he walked around Isis's chair though she held onto his wrist and held him back. _I really don't want to involve these people but I might have to if they cling to me like this… _

Staring down at her with watchful eyes Kaiba stood still as Isis stood and stared at him back. "Why won't you tell me directly? Are you being arrogant this time or are you actually acting like this from the purity of your heart? Seto Kaiba, just what is it that you are planning?"

"I make my own destiny, good bye Isis," he murmured softly breaking from her grasp and with a rasp of his tail coat against the door frame Kaiba was gone leaving her to question.

_He may determine his own destiny but he's going to involve more people into his rescue operation. It would be interesting to see him try to fend off the Pharaoh's helping hand…_

Grumbling angrily Kaiba stepped down from the deck and looked across the street to his car. Blinking in slight confusion at his car he realized that there was a person behind it warping the car's shape slightly. _Just what are they planning? I know that for a fact they are from a big operation but they must be idiots if they thought they couldn't be seen. Wait, what if they wanted to be seen to distract me from the more concealed men?_

_Looking back at the house he noticed the broken down car in the driveway. Asking for another favor won't do me any good… How many people will I owe when this all blows over? In the best situation possible only Isis… _

Walking away from his car he wandered around the neighborhood well aware of where the exit was where he could call a limo to take him from this place. _This is why I had bodyguards…_ _Laziness on my part put Tea and me in an unnecessary gamble._ Walking down the shaded sidewalks that were completely devoid of people that were supposed to be mowing their lawn, watering their plants, driving their cars, or walking their dogs Kaiba felt a great unease welling in his chest. Seeing someone just around the corner he crouched down as he walked towards the enigmatic presence. As soon as he turned the corner he quietly withdrew the silenced weapon and pointed it upwards. The man thought that he was just going to walk around the corner unsuspecting so as Kaiba came around he shot out two bullets to where Kaiba's chest would be if he was standing.

Looking up as the guy shot out the two rounds Kaiba stood up abruptly seemingly out of the ground to the man that didn't see him crouching. Holding him by the throat Kaiba pressed the muzzle of the gun against the guy's chest after firing three rounds into the man he flipped the body easily over the fence that hid the two from each other in the beginning. _He was wearing a vest, lucky whore. He wouldn't be able to breathe for a while though. _

Scanning his eyes back and forth from under the shade of a fancy frond he didn't see anything else out of place. _The neighbors even if they heard the shots they wouldn't be able to distinguish the sound. Still they would have heard the shot and by naturally human curiosity they should have looked outside_.

Seeing a man walking across the road speaking into a headset Kaiba leaned up against the giant trunk of a ficus. Watching only that imposing figure he didn't see the other suit that approached him from the side. As soon as the man was two feet away from him did he notice but it was too late to do anything about it.

The man had a gun, a headset, and was in a full business suit. Grimacing he faced Kaiba but didn't point the gun at him. Instead the guard asked quietly, "Well, well, isn't it my old boss."

_What? I employed this man once? When?_ _Why does he resemble Tristan?_

"What are you doing here, Kaiba?" The man was still whispering meaning that he was a possible ally but that also meant he could turn against him at anytime as well.

Choosing not to answer Kaiba looked back at the man walking in the middle of the street as if he wasn't afraid of being run over. Aiming his gun at the man and firing a single shot he leaned back against the tree acting as if his old employee standing before him didn't exist. The employee however felt differently about the whole scenario. His eyes widened extensively from beneath his shades as he watched the billionaire dash into the street after he had shot the man through the nasal cavity and search his fallen body.

Kaiba didn't care about how personal or impersonal it was to poke at a dead body. Gaining another gun, five hundred dollars in large bills, and some information he headed back to the nameless employee. "I must ask: who are you exactly?"

Looking back at his boss he asked, "I could ask you the same thing. When was Seto Kaiba ever the type to kill people?"

"When I decided to fire all of my bodyguards," Kaiba flipped through the wallet he stole. Finding an interesting card he threw the wallet aside for it to be caught by the suit. _I suspected them but how? They were destroyed on that ship, along with the other two. _

_If they are back then…maybe he is controlling all of them once again. No, that is impossible. I barely survived that implosion there is no way that they could return… Unless they didn't place the whole of their minds into the submarine alone…If there is another ship out there… I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Now about this nameless thug, who is he? Do I care?_

Without looking away from the insignia printed on the card Kaiba asked, "Who are you?"

Aghast that he wasn't remembered the man answered almost immediately, "I'm Kemo, how can you forget me?"

Finding familiarity with the name and the appearance of the man Kaiba asked, "Don't you work for Pegasus?"

Tentatively Kemo answered, "Yes…"

_Maybe I can find an ally in Pegasus. They double crossed him as well and even though the man is retired he should have some kind of weapon left up that slimy sleeve of his… I can't even believe I'm thinking of dealing with Pegafag to go against my own board of directors… Who else is there, Yugi and that crazed Pharaoh? …The Cyclops is a better deal…_

Checking his surroundings again Kaiba asked something that was so out of character it wasn't even funny, "Get me to Pegasus."

I'm ending it here because I felt like it. I hope it was long enough…

This is all from my mind. Just asking, isn't there a character named Duke in this show? I don't remember…Is he important or rather would you care if I gave him a big role?

Leave a thoughtful review on your way out the door.


	12. Winged Ocean Horses

I apologize for not updating yesterday. I'm ill... Don't think of it as an excuse just think of it as a reason. Stupid lab partner of mine just had to get drooled on by a sick girl then sneeze on me after letting it fester inside of her for two days. My whole being aches as if I was shoved in a computer box for a day. I feel like puking out a lung. I'm having hot flashes and chills like my aunt did... Wait I can't have menopause I'm a guy... I'm just ill...hopefully.

I haven't been sick in four years, way to ruin my streak... There are some good sides to being ill. I'm confined to the apartment because I'll infect people if I go downstairs, I have a doctor's note to avoid evening and morning classes, I can make these cool pterodactyl calls instead of speaking, I can lay on my ass all day long watching Family Guy until my eyes feel like popping out of their sockets, and I can act anti-social… I was wrong being sick has no good qualities. Except maybe this one: I made the thermometer go up to 104! Isn't that amazing? I feel as cold as ice but yet this is my highest temperature actually it was 106 just a bit earlier. Yay! I'm eating sick people food! Look at all of the little twirling stars ever swirling in the great yellow abyss that look like pee…

Instead of resting I'm going to try and write this out to atone for that horrible last chapter. Hope you like this new chapter better than the last. If things are misspelled and it turns out worse than whatever then I'll re-write it when I feel less dead and my fingers don't feel like ripping off to leave me bloody stumps to work with.

Reviewer Replies:

Kitana18: What is with the aw man? Was it really that bad? I think I agree. 

Evil goddess saiyajin: I'm glad that you enjoyed it. You liked the destiny line as well? I thought that was the only thing I didn't mess up on in the entire chapter. You have a good eye.

R0gue lebeau: Thank you for liking the chapter. I don't know where I got that mate part but it just fit. Glad you liked it.

Serenityshizuka: You can't feel Kaiba's feelings? Why? Joking, I had written that entirely wrong that's the reason why I hated the chapter so much. I wanted him to come off as if he's shoving the fact that he had lost Tea so easily into the back of his mind. He tries not to think about it and that's why there is that blank void between the two at this moment. I tried my best to convey that but it didn't come off like I wanted. He turned out more cold than necessary… I'll try to elaborate on the emotions more but that means I have to add in a chapter about Tea locked away in a backroom full of boxes in some far off location…  
Really? You won't mind if I give him a big role? Actually it's not a big role just enough to say that he was in it over two chapters big. Duke doesn't need to have an item to have a role…but here's a warning: Duke is going to be very out of character because I haven't watched the show after the second season.

Carrie is Awesome: You are an awful awful woman… you know that? But thanks for liking my fict. BTW I don't look good with a smile. You've seen me smile before and it's not a pretty sight.

Violent Light: It isn't my plan to sic Carrie on you but she seriously believes that you are a vampire. You hate garlic, you are allergic to her nickel crosses, and you're pale as a ghostie. If I didn't know any better I'd call you a vampire myself. Just make sure she doesn't spray you in the eyes with her holy water because that stuff stings whether you are a vampire or not.

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid man, Funny Bunny Wine Industries, or 4kids.

Kemo looked to the body bleeding out in the middle of the street then back to his former boss, "Do you plan on leaving that there?"

Ignoring the question Kaiba looked up at the expensive homes and their perfectly trimmed gardens. So picturesque they were it seemed as if they were cut and pasted there from a magazine. None of them compared with the neighborhood he came from but the stillness in the moment made it seem like a picture, surreal. _Not a day has been spent and already most of the items are being to one location. How many are left now? I have this hammer looking thing, Yugi has that pyramid, Bakura and Ryou had the eye and ring, Isis had her freaky necklace, and that leaves me with two. Wait for me Tea… Hold on, shouldn't they be trying to surround us by now?_

Without looking at the guard Kaiba asked, "Why are you here?"

"I work as I guard for these rich snobs part-time. Pegasus isn't one to give raises and I can't live off of his pay," Kemo explained. Before he could throw that question back at Kaiba another question was thrown at him.

"Did you drive here?"

_Why are these guys after him? Do I really want to know? …I could be thrown into the mess if I knew. Wait, Kaiba wanted me to drive him to my boss. Does he trust me? _ Kemo tucked his into his shoulder holster and without answering showed Kaiba the way to the car.

Avidly Kaiba hid the weapon he had just obtained in the small of his back just barely under his waistband but hidden by his shirt tails. Following the agent from a rival group he wondered why they had chosen to hide themselves when they could have shot him dead already using their sheer numbers to overwhelm him. _Maybe they were flaunting their presence and their power. The strange thing is that they let me walk into the road and find out about them… If this 'Kemo' turns out to be on their side I can take him down but I doubt that's the case. _

An Hour Later on an Uncharted Island

"Kaibaboy, how nice for you drop by so suddenly," Max greeted the CEO with open arms. Staring at the silver haired man Kaiba was quickly regretting coming to the island. Backing away from Pegasus Kaiba narrowly avoided the hug.

The two were standing behind the great castle home of Max Pegasus. An expansive lake pooled between mossy cliffs shining like a puddle of melted marbles. It was very bluely and grand with its fast currents rushing out to the sea. The current was especially strong near the end of the cement platform which held Pegasus' patio furniture since the lake was at higher sea level being created from a shallow crater it poured itself into the ocean.

"I'm sorry, you just looked like you needed one," Pegasus looked slightly disappointed.

Scoffing he said, "I'm not a very huggy person. Now about the reason I'm here."

Pegasus not one too fond to talk about Kaiba's presumed business plans sat back in his recliner and poured himself a drink from his champagne glass.

"Do you remember the five men you sought to use to take over my company?"

Seeing Pegasus nod attentively Kaiba continued, "I need you to keep them off my case until this week is over."

"And here I thought you wanted something to trounce little Yugi after all of these years."

"Pegasus," the low growl gave no hint of warning to the elder man.

"Or at least flew across the blue sea to see your old friend which is ole lonely me."

"How many times do I have to tell you that we aren't friends?"

Refilling his glass Pegasus turned to look at Kaiba seriously, "Why the big five, Kaibaboy? I heard that after you had fired them you found them later at sea and destroyed their minds… How can they be after you still?"

How did Pegasus find out about that? Grimacing Kaiba flicked the card he had obtained from the guard in Isis's neighborhood. "This card is proof of their comeback. No one else knows of this old symbol except them."

Pegasus tried to catch the flying card but it ended up hitting him squarely in the forehead and fell onto his lap.

"Oooh," picking up the card he noticed the logo imprinted dead center on the card. It was the normal Kaiba corp. logo except the twin snub nosed pistols that crossed behind it. The old arms dealer logo created for the weaponry company was to be sent all around the world for it to be known worldwide. Something about it piqued Pegasus' interest. As he tilted the card to the sun some strange characters and a single word appeared. Pegasus looked closer at the inscription written on the pistols. For some reason the word stood out to him and the symbols looked oddly familiar even though he hasn't ever seen them before.

Throwing the card back at Kaiba Pegasus said, "Look at the guns behind the KC. What does it say Kaibaboy?"

Snatching the card from the air then squinting at it the word Enochian became clear along with strange markings printed in clear ink in a ring around the whole logo.

"Pegasus?"

Pegasus closed his eyes and shook his head, "You've got it all wrong Kaibaboy. It isn't the big five. You are bilingual aren't you Kaibaboy?"

_Enochian? The word doesn't mean anything to me… Wait, I understand it… The letters circling the design translate to…Oreichalcos? That makes no sense… _

"I will try to hold him at bay but can you at least tell me why these badies are after you? I doubt that they are just mad fans who would like to imprison you in their homes," Pegasus invited Kaiba to sit down on the white recliner besides him.

Rejecting the offer Kaiba stood and glared down at Pegasus, "They? How do you know that there is at least more than one organization against me?"

Waving his hand in the air dismissively, Pegasus said, "I don't need my eye to see that there are more than two different groups snapping at your heels Kaibaboy," seeing the surprise that flickered in his associate's dark eyes Pegasus explained, "You wouldn't ask favors from me if you were dealing with just this one and you wouldn't act this serious and silent without a second or third one prodding you. What happened, did your brother get kidnapped and held for ransom again for the thousandth time?"

"That's none of your business Pegasus. Just keep this organization bust until this week is over," with that said Kaiba took the newly filled glass from Pegasus and downed it with one swig. Wide eyed Pegasus watched as Kaiba chocked and spat it out. Coughing and sputtering he leaned against the table for support while stinging tears came to his eyes from gagging.

"What the Hell Pegasus?! Is that…is that Kool-Aid? I thought that it was alcoholic," Kaiba continued pounding at his chest trying to get the cherry flavoring out of his lungs.

Frowning at Kaiba Pegasus said simply, "Kaibaboy, how dare you accuse me of drinking something that wasn't made from the Funny Bunny production company." He turned the champagne bottle so that it faced Kaiba.

"Besides, the Kool-Aid man is just so…so…TACKY!"

_If a juice bowl full of juice is tacky then what are you Pegasus?_ Kaiba wanted to shout out his thoughts out loud but couldn't so instead he stared at the rabbit engrave on the bottle.

"I…I thought you were drinking wine this…entire time," he gasped out.

Pegasus waved his hand at Kaiba and refilled his glass, "Oh, Heavens no! Silly Kaibaboy you thought that I was drinking."

Having a good laugh Pegasus didn't notice his mini-army of armed guards rush into the backyard surrounding him.

"Pegasus," they cried in unison like the penguins they were, "Are you going to give us our raise or will we have to use our guns on you?"

Their boss looked at them all quizzically while Kaiba eyed them as a big threat. _If they shoot at Pegasus and I'm caught in the crossfire then Tea's fate is sealed. I can't afford to lose her as well… _ Kaiba got up and backed away from Pegasus as much as he could.

"Oh, pish posh. You fools you weapons were erased by 4kids all you have left are your gun fingers," Pegasus regarded his mob of employees as if they were as harmless as little duckies wearing booties.

Kemo stepped out of the crowd and fired a shot in the air from his gun finger instead of his real gun then aimed his finger at Pegasus, "They may have made our weapons invisible so that kids wouldn't be frightened by them but that doesn't mean that they were deleted."

Feeling confident the armed guards stepped forward and aimed their fingers at Pegasus.

"Are you going to heighten our raise by five percent or not?"

Before Pegasus could shake his head 'no' Croquet his loyal blue haired guard ran to his side. Kaiba seeing only the blackened blur that cut in front of him stumbled and fell into the home of the fishies and was washed away by the currents like a kite effortlessly floating downstream and into the big blue ocean.

Swirling in the bluely greatness that was the fishy ocean around the island on his back Kaiba wondered what the heck just happened to him. _I was standing behind Pegasus then something hit me and I fell into the lake by his house and the current swept me out here where I've managed to float about feeling like a leaf… Fuck, I hope Tea's faring better than I am._

Tea being an optimistic knew that she was going to be rescued soon. _It's only a matter of time… He has a full week to get the items. I'm sure he has already spoken to Ryou and Bakura by now. Seto will come through for me he hasn't failed before right? Wait, Serenity… No, he didn't fail her...he just…wasn't aware…like now. No Tea, don't think like that! If I keep him in mind he will come and save me. If I picture him as victorious then he shall be. I will be rescued from this dark place and be brought back to him in the end._

Tea believed that if she placed her faith in anything or anyone enough and see the deed as she wished in her mind then destiny will make it so.

But this thought process wasn't as if you willed yourself to have a million eight and then pictured yourself with nearly two million that would come true. She believed that effort will have to be placed into anything to make it be and in this dire moment it was his effort that she was counting on.

Not bad for a guy who has a temperature of 106, huh? Let me see you try to do the same you you sorry excuse for a lamp you football jock!

Just asking to see if you can figure it out… A question to ponder over: When had the drugs kicked in and made me see things?

Have your small amount of socks gone to your head yet?

Review happily little poples of corn…


	13. Drinking Pepsi While Fishin For Emeralds

Today is Saturday. I have an event to attend to late today so I might not be able to write this out in time. I've gotten better so I'm going to write this. Late I know but...who cares?

Replies:

Evil goddess saiyajin: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I tried to place Tea correctly but if she's seems out of character just yell at me and I'll try to fix it. People are getting sick more now that it is the ending of winter but I've gotten over it. Woo…

Kitana18: Thank you for getting into it and finding it interesting. I'll try to write longer chapters but long chapters mean shorter story and I really don't want it to end yet.

Mazakai: Swept out to sea would suck…he wasn't even supposed to be swept out to sea. But it'll work out. Pegasus is never going to be in this story again after this. I can't keep him in character.

R0gue lebeau: Delightful and funny. I'm almost good enough to be a real writer. Joking, I'm not that dedicated nor talented… Thanks, for the review.

Shikon-Princess: It's unlike everything? Is it really that unique? I haven't read many stories but if this many people keep calling it special it just might be. I'll try to keep up your expectations of me.

Steggy Likes Juice Boxes: I am happy that you reviewed. This is really supposed to be a suspense story instead of humorous but thanks for enjoying it!

The-hinotori: I'll try to live up to your expectations. Your work has really inspired me…

Violent Light: You… I didn't send Carrie after you. Her holy water is a force to be reckoned with and to your question: Yes she did try to purify my tainted soul. So I'm labeled as leader just because no one wants to assume responsibility? That's no different than what I was before except now I have a title. Anyways, I'm going to prom… I'll help you guys throw the football team overboard but you owe me. My SAT's are set to that date. So far you owe me a lot more than Sean and Sean owes me his hookah.

Not that I'm going to take his life from him or anything…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. YGO or otherwise…meaning that I don't own Tea's POV they are all written by someone else. She keeps on saying it needs a feminine touch…

* * *

Tea being an optimistic person knew that she was going to be rescued soon. _It's only a matter of time… He has a full week to get the items. I'm sure he has already spoken to Ryou and Bakura by now. Seto will come through for me he hasn't failed before right? Wait, Serenity… No, he didn't fail her...he just…wasn't aware…like now. No Tea, don't think like that! If I keep him in mind he will come and save me. If I picture him as victorious then he shall be. I will be rescued from this dark place and be brought back to him in the end._

Tea believed that if she placed her faith in anything or anyone enough and see the deed as she wished in her mind then destiny will make it so.

But this thought process wasn't as if you willed yourself to have a million eight and then pictured yourself with nearly two million that would come true. She believed that effort will have to be placed into anything to make it be and in this dire moment it was his effort that she was counting on.

The room she was locked in didn't have any windows that she could see but then again what was there to see? Like a completely sealed attic the room was. It smelled like musty old wood but instead of being hot and musty like the ones on TV this one felt cold and unnatural. Being surrounded by the dark Tea didn't move from the place they had dragged her to and removed her blindfold. She was in no way afraid of the dark but what was to be found in it.

Besides the dark it wasn't bad. Her captors fed her pizza and diet Pepsi… _That's good enough. Besides, in less than a week I'll be rescued. When Seto rescues me I'll make sweet love to him I swear I will. And he will enjoy every second of it. _

Sighing in the romance of it all Tea didn't hear the resounding footsteps leading to the door. Suddenly the door slammed open and light found its way into the dark. _They never turn the lights on and enter this room…why the change? _

One single masked man stepped over the threshold. _He's wearing a mask…they don't need a mask if they walk in here to kill me so what does he want?_

"We have lost track of your husband. We demand you to tell us where he is," the man demanded.

Tea looked up at the man in wide eyed confusion, "I'm not married…"

But he was undeterred, "Where is your husband?"

Tea waved her fingers at the man, "No ring. I'm not married." _Are they mistaking me for another victim? …Don't tell me they kidnapped someone's wife and are now manipulating the poor man. _

The masked man grew angry but before he could ask her where her husband was another man came through the open doorway and shoved the first man out in midsentence. Tea looked at the newcomer; he stood in front of the direct light of the open doorway. Being a silhouette in front of the light she couldn't see much of him. He was a lot taller in height than the last man but he still wore black and had a mask obscuring his features. Crossing his arms across his chest he explained, "Please excuse his incompetence. What he meant to ask of you was if you knew of Seto Kaiba's whereabouts.

The last we heard of him was when he had been visiting this woman."

The man pulled out a picture from the inside of his jacket and tossed it to her. _Isis…_

Tea looked up at him preferring to sit on the floor than stand up and face him, "Why do you think I know where he is?"

Slipping off his leather gloves and shoving them into his pocket the man lit himself a cigarette, "You are close to him. You should know how he ticks… So where would he be after visiting this woman?"

Warily watching the man's movements Tea spoke out, "Just a few months of living with him and you think he tells me everything?"

The man blew out a puff of smoke her way then seeing her cough from the smog he smirked, "…If you can't tell us then we might as well give proof to him that we are serious and that he shouldn't stray too far from the leash we have set…"

"How?"

"A finger or two won't hurt us too bad but sends the right message along… Don't you think?"

Tea's eyes widened as the man stepped forward.

* * *

Kaiba had been floating around the island for who knows how long. The waters of the ocean lapped at his ears reminding him of a boat engine.

_Dying cannot be this easy. Effortlessly floating until I'm dehydrated… After over six hundred attempted assassinations this is how I'll meet my untimely demise? And this sound…I'm not going to die thinking only of Mokuba or Tea but I'm going to die thinking of my fishing boat as well? I don't even fish! What a good big brother and boyfriend I make. The Chihuahua would make a better brother than me and Tea can just marry the angry palm tree. At least Atemu acts like he cares! _

The sound of a boat engine buzzed in his ears sounding louder as it approached. _Stupid boat is it so luxurious and wonderful that I'm hearing it now? _

Suddenly a familiar voice was heard as the boat bumped into Kaiba's side painfully, sending him drifting towards the cliff face.

"Whoa, Kaiba… What are you doing in my fishing spot?"

Standing up in the shallows Kaiba stared into the emerald eyes of the man who practically ran him over a few seconds ago.

"Duke, what are you doing here?"

"I can ask you the same thing, bro. I'm fishing," Duke said flashing a big grin gesturing to his chunky fishing vest with its numerous pockets and his white and green fishing boat.

Grumbling Kaiba dove back into the deeper water and swam up to the boat and flopped his soaked body into it without the owner's consent. Duke looked over the wet CEO with a bemused expression. "Kaiba, swimming around these uncharted islands isn't very smart. It could prove detrimental to your health."

Kaiba scowled at the grinning man from the back of the boat but didn't say anything as he raided the cooler labeled as beer. Duke felt rejected that his business partner was giving him the silent treatment.

"You…you look like you've lost a shoe there, bro," Duke received a low snarl, "Ehh, what happened to your trench coat?"

"Lost it in the whirlpools," he muttered finding a Panini sandwich. _Damn, there aren't any drinks in here to wash it down except for beer… It'll do…_

Duke placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and brightly asked, "Aren't you at least going to say hi?"

"No," turning to Duke with a sandwich in his mouth and a half full bottle of beer in his hand Kaiba grimaced from the alcohol in his mouth.

Stepping back from Kaiba and huffing Duke surmised, "You jump into my boat, drink me beer, eat one of my gourmet sandwiches but you aren't even going to say hi to me?"

Kaiba flicked his gaze to Duke and said, "I gave to you my fishing boat free of charge, merged Kaiba corp. with your company, donated over a million dollars in support of your game and industry, and gave you a nightclub, what else do you want for me to do Duke?"

"A small greeting would suffice," Duke mumbled but then feeling the heat from Kaiba's glare the man waved his open hands at him, "Nothing, nothing! Eat as much as you want. I'm fishing la la la la la la…"

After having his fill Kaiba turned to Duke who was fishing, "Hey, Duke. Why are you fishing around here?"

Looking over his shoulder Duke said, "Finally you speak… I'm fishing here because I want to fish here. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Not necessarily but if you still support Pegasus then I'd have something to worry about," Kaiba looked as if he was ready to jump back into the water.

Not bothering to look back at Kaiba Duke asked, "Why? You're kidding right?"

"I don't kid…"

Suddenly the cliffs were covered in suits with invisible weapons. They had seen the boat and recognized Duke's smiling face on the flag that it flew and so they fled to the cliffs thinking that Duke was there to back their former boss up. Aiming their weapons at the ship they planned to sink the small vessel.

Kaiba looked into the water. _Do I really want to go back to swimming? Who knows when another boat will show up? I need to take control of this boat once they leave finding us to be of no harm to them unless Duke says something unconventional…_

An echoing voice tumbled down from the cliffs, "Are you Duke Devlin?"

Duke stood like the proud man he was and proclaimed loudly, "Why of course who do you think I am?"

Hearing the barely audible click of over fifty guns cocking their hammers Kaiba dove for the steering wheel and sped away from the island not caring if Duke fell under the seats or the fact that most of the fishing equipment had gone overboard. He didn't slow down until he passed the very last island that belonged to Pegasus. _Why does this happen to me? This is usually when someone appears and speaks about the end of the world and such and such right? Then Atemu says his lame catch phrase and saves the world…right?_

Leaning against the wheel Kaiba looked around the area he drove them to. Silent with the continuous eerie call of seagulls, sharp rocks jutting from the water's surface like the crooked teeth of a beast who wants to eat them all there was nothing suspicious… The sea was calm and there was no sign of the suits from Pegasus' castle. Except there was Duke…

"Kaiba, what the Hell was that for? You could've crashed the boat and killed us both with your driving!"

Duke was struggling in the back seat apparently his vest had lodged him in between the seats tightly. Kaiba stepped back to the end of the boat and held out his hand to Duke who gladly took the offered help and with a fwump Duke was free to wave his arms about and yell at his business partner.

"Bro, that was just uncool and unnecessary! I was talking to them you know?"

Kaiba leaned against the wheel and scoffed at Duke's hysterics, "You didn't notice that they had been trying to capsize the ship did you?"

"What? But they were apart of Pegasus' crew… I don't understand," Duke now looked confused for a moment.

"Let's just say that Pegasus and they are in a slight dispute…"

Dismissing their brief past encounter with death Duke leaned over the side of the ship, "You lost most of the fishing equipment bro… Why?"

Heaving a sigh Kaiba rolled his eyes and replied, "Which is worth more? Our lives or some fish you wanted to kill?"

"At least there is still beer…"

Kaiba was about to say some words of agreement when the sound of a revving engine was heard and it was approaching fast. Looking around he spotted the ship. It was behind them and gaining so instinctively he turned on the engine and drove. The fishing boat was one of his designs so of course it was built for speed he just ended up not needing it. Duke was pulled back once again and thrown against the seats. Yelling out in protest he got up and walked over to Kaiba who was driving like mad trying to lose the ship behind them.

"Bro, where are you driving? You are headed the wrong way if you're trying to get away from Pegasus' territory…"

Kaiba then just stepped away from the wheel indifferently. Forcing Duke to freak out and take the wheel. Looking behind them Kaiba saw another ship veer off from the side and began accelerating after them. _After having someone kidnapped under my nose that wasn't Mokuba, running after the golden trinkets, forced to go to Pegasus for help, finding out that there was a conspiracy against him, then after being tossed into the ocean to get rescued by Duke, I am in a fast paced boat chase… What next, Duke betrays me to take over Kaiba corp.? I don't like the liveliness in my life right now…_

Hiding himself between the second to last seat and the last seat Kaiba took out his pistol and waited for the suits to catch up a bit.

_I can't believe I'm doing this… _

* * *

That's all I can write for now. Be happy with it ok? I know it was short and crappy and didn't explain anything but I have somewhere to go right now, ok? I can't come up with good plot finishes on a whim. I'm no Stephen King.

Review and complain.


	14. Bleeding Sapphires

Hey, I'm back after a bit of a hiatus I know. It's just that I've been having trouble. Trying to catch the love of your life isn't all it is cracked out to be. I can't believe I'm losing her. Maybe this will turn out as a nightmare instead of a happily ever after so sorry R0gue lebeau. It will be as how it was in reality as I've said. I promised you that much and I'm going to keep it unless you want me to lie to everything I am and make it a happily ever after, fanciful with a gorgeous wedding, perfect scenery, and perfect in every way.

Torn to shreds as I am I writing this for your entertainment? Either stay here and watch me bleed or walk away as this leaves a scar across my heart.

...Replies:

Evil goddess saiyajin: I'm glad you found the characters as you wanted them to be. Thanks for reviewing after all of this time. It really makes my day. And see you as well.

R0gue lebeau: I am feeling better. Thanks. You're Buddhist? I didn't know... About Tea, you'll just have to find out. I hope you found this chapter to be satisfactory.

The-hinotori: I'm not Stephen King because I don't desire and strive towards being so great of a writer. I never aspired to pick up an ink pen and begin a story. This written piece is just my life rolled into a fictional screen that's all it is. I created it all from a single promise I made to a girl whose last words to me were like a piercing knife to the stomach. That's all Endure One More Hindrance is...  
Nothing can be perfect because everything is flawed. It takes the creator to see the flaws but it takes the audience to point them out and jeer. Then all the creator can do is bow appreciatively from the notice that they had placed into his work.  
You tell me to lighten up but how can you really say that to one who lives his life in the darkness in the shadow behind the scenes?  
I'm not judging you by your age. Wisdom doesn't come from age but from experiences. I've been through more than a kid my age should maybe that's why I'm more mature than your average teenage boy. I'm judging you by the weight of your words. They are stronger than my own and that makes me look up to you. That is all. And I shall continue this even if it takes me a few years I'll finish this.

TouchofPixieDust: I try to place enough drama into it so that it fits and I break it up whenever I can with unimportant details. Glad you liked the last chapter.

Violent Light: I know you didn't review but considering where you are at this moment I don't mind. This is my only way to communicate with you my trusted friend. I must tell you this. I went to my first drunken rave party without you. Before you pump your fists and high five someone I just wanted to let you know that I pummeled Duke to a pulpy mass. Just wanted to let you know since you're in Idaho or Canada by now.

Just asking though: Which one of you was the one holding the joint when you were all blamed?

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, bad phone service, obscure references, and any weird stuff that occurs in the fiction that makes no absolute sense or anything.

**Side Note: Take heed that I've written this out in my school journal so if I imprint some of my homework into it just ignore it. I'll fix it if you complain about it so make sure to whine about it.**

_They make it look so easy in the movies…_ Duke was side winding through the jagged tooth rocks hoping to lose the suits tailing them. All he knew was that they were chasing him and that they were armed to the teeth. Suddenly a ship smashed into the rocks right behind them barely missing the end of their own boat. Splinters like toothpicks showered grit over them causing them to duck and cover their heads briefly.

"Did you just shoot the driver of that boat, Bro?"

"What happened when a ship carrying purple collided with a ship carrying red paint?" Math homework of Friday, March 7, 2008. Due: Monday.

Not bothering to look back at his companion Kaiba growled out, "So what, Duke?"

Duke looked back at the blown up boat with a disappointed look, "Where's the explosion?"

"Keep driving Devlin," he commanded before continuing, "I didn't know that 4Kids censored explosions…"

Suddenly another vessel veered from between the rocks to meet them. Duke swerved so that the boats were side to side. Immediately before the suits could draw their guns Kaiba shot their engine. Duke seeing the warning signs of a violent flare accelerated but the detonation never came. Instead there were barely audible curses and shouts from the men on the torn boat.

"They censor everything don't they?" Duke mused.

"Those guards are calling us cheesy fuzz bags so I would agree," Kaiba was clinging to the back seat looking over it for any approaching aquatic vehicles.

Remember Theatre: A Streetcar Named Desire. Character role: Stanley. Character analysis due Monday.

"But they haven't censored your gun. What's up with that?"

Duke continued driving the ship at full speed even though there was no one else around. Making Kaiba wonder what the dense dice monkey was doing. Tucking his weapon into the small of his back again the CEO leaned back against the cushioned seats and answered, "I think 4Kids is only affecting Pegasus and that area around him. He's the only one they have to worry about…"

Duke glanced back quickly before looking ahead once again, "What makes you say that?"

Muttering under his breath, "He is still involved with them as they are fixing up the so called next generation of Duel Monsters. He works with them full time on this GX thing…"

Duke gave a short laugh and said, "What the Hell is he thinking?"

Kaiba scoffed and looked up at the clear sky, "That's what I said…"

Duke now did a gangster lean. You know where you drive with your left hand and bob your head to non-existing music? Yeah, that except he was twirling his greasy jet black hair between his fingertips. He turned back and looked at Kaiba incredulously then turned back to twirling his hair and driving.

"Bro, how can you be so calm? We had a horde of dangerous and armed secret agents come after us and you didn't even bat an eye. How can you do such a thing?"

Receiving no answer the dungeon dice master assumed that he was simply being ignored but when he turned around and saw Kaiba sprawled out in the back seat. _What's going on? First, I find him floating on his back in my fishing spot, and there's this conflict between Pegasus and his usual loyal servants. I know I haven't seen the guy since the funeral but to think that he's right there sleeping in my boat. I guess I'll have to ask him later once we arrive at Domino docks or when he wakes…_

Lying on his back against the slick white cushioned seats Kaiba looked up at the clear blue sky. It looked fake to him, out of focus and false like a painted on ceiling. Everything seemed surreal and nonexistent at this point to him. Reality seems like a dot on the horizon and all of this was just a horrible nightmare. Once he wakes from it Tea will be right there again by his side, like she was meant to be for always. _But no, that's wrong. This all did happen._

A man was shot down before his car, his death linked to a threat, Tea's blood splattered across the whitewashed kitchen cabinets, the ransom, the continuous threats on her life, the cursed items that he was collecting, then suddenly his stepfather's old company logo just had to come back to haunt him, forcing him to go to a complete loony to help him, just to free fall into the ocean, and now here he is striving to find reality in all of this surrealism on this super powered fishing boat. He wanted to leave it all and just wanted some rest after staying up for days straight without a wink of sleep. There was nothing he could do to draw her closer to him. _I'll be with you somehow. I'll understand if you leave me after all of this has been said and done Tea. I won't mind if you shut me out of your life… _

Feeling weary but with his racing thoughts he couldn't find enough peace of mind to rest to just lay back and let sleep overcome his senses. He wanted the sweet release of not being able to carry this guilt but he couldn't not with Tea on his mind. _While she's going through Hell how can I think about sleep? I have to keep aware and alert. If I get killed here then what's Tea going to do? She's depending on me…_

His thoughts jumbled together like mad. All that has happened combined and merged with the concern for Tea's well being and turned into a mess of thought. Kaiba tilted his head to the side and observed Duke as he drove. Smirking slightly he blanked out all thoughts and made them null and void to remember back to when the days were clearer and his heart was at ease. He remembered how reliable the man was back then, when he had gone to work for hours or had to go on trips Duke stayed and had kept Serenity Company when he could've been doing something else like fishing.

_Pg. 371 #1-8 due by Tuesday; Book: A3. Dependable Duke…he's trustworthy and admirable, one of the best business partners one could ever have. The man is almost close enough that I can call him my brother almost. It's a pity we haven't seen much of each other…_ Letting his mind wander he answered Duke's earlier question. _I may seem strong on the outside Duke, but internally my world is collapsing in on itself. All I can feel is the overbearing stone of guilt and it's suffocating._ Thinking to himself and staring at the clear heavens he without knowing laid his wandering mind to rest and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

When the lull of the engine died away with the coming of rocky shores Kaiba bolted upright and looked around him but seeing nothing but a mildly confused Duke, the Domino city docks, and finding himself sitting in a fishing boat he calmed himself. Aware of his surroundings he sat normally in his seat and took in the sights. Smelling overly of the ocean and dead fish Kaiba wanted to leave this place. Besides the setting sun was glaring an angry red into his eyes…

"Jumpy much, Bro?"

A voice broke his already dissipating haze of sleep asking, "Bad dream?"

In a voice that wasn't completely his, Kaiba replied, "No, it's nothing…"

Duke stepped out of the boat to tie it to the dock properly while Kaiba sat still, reorganizing his thoughts and trying to get a good grip on reality. Duke seeing how spaced out the other man was tried to strike conversation to get rid of the eerie silence that enveloped them.

"I better go call Pegasus and see if he's alright…" Duke trailed off meaningfully.

Realizing what the raven haired man was hinting at Kaiba stepped out of the boat and onto the saltwater slicked rotten wood that was the docks and explained why Pegasus was fighting against his miniature army and why the whacked out suits began chasing them across the sea. He conveniently left out the parts containing Tea, the millennium items, and that there was more than one organization after him at the moment.

"So let me get this straight, Kaiba. You went to see Pegasus and when you two were busy getting reacquainted his goons came out of nowhere and had a rebellion because they wanted a seven percent raise?"

Duke had an eyebrow raised as he looked at his associate.

"No, it wasn't that way…"

Duke let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. Placing a hand on Kaiba's shoulder and grinning brightly he let out a long hearty laugh.

"That's the funniest story you've ever told me. For a second I thought that you were serious. See I knew that you were quite the joker when you want to be. Ha, you were just kidding! You had me going there Bro," Duke chuckled jovially while patting Kaiba on the back.

Frowning at Duke Kaiba said, "I don't kid. They wanted a five percent raise not seven. The rest…you summed it up as it was."

Duke froze… _He means to tell me that there is a rebellion; he wasn't just swimming in the ocean because he felt like it rather he was pushed, and that some organization is after him…What the Hell? This doesn't add up…_

The green eyed man watched blankly as Kaiba stepped into the limo he had called when he had been lost in his thoughts. Feeling as if he didn't fit in the scene like a helium balloon of a red squid in the middle of a retirement home Duke followed Kaiba into the black car. Before Duke could close the car door his cell phone was tossed into his lap from the slightly damp Seto Kaiba besides him.

"Thanks," was all the elder man said before he crossed his arms across his chest and stared straight forward.

Knitting his brows in bemusement Duke slid his cell phone back into the holster and stared up at his stone faced companion.

"Let me guess, your phone doesn't work because of water damages," Duke didn't even get a nod for his obvious hypothesis, "All I wonder is why didn't you ask. You didn't have to steal it from me, Bro."

Without lowering his gaze to meet Duke's emerald eyes Kaiba explained, "I prefer to call it procuring but I did ask. You just didn't answer me."

Duke opened his mouth wanting to speak about the past events that Kaiba had been through but stopped when Kaiba fixed his piercing glare on him expecting him to speak. The silence continued until the limo stopped at the Kaiba manor. There the two parted ways before the limo drove off to Duke's house.

"Keep yourself safe, Bro," Duke yelled as he stood through the sunroof.

Kaiba raised a palm to his friend.

"I'll make sure to call Pegasus. Pray for his safety for me!" Were the last words the Dungeon Dice king spouted out before he rode into the sunset and was gone.

_Right, Duke. I'll start selling Funny Bunny curtains for loonies on the side as well._ Walking up the driveway to his front door exhaustion tore at his weary form but he managed to drag his feet back into his house and back into the kitchen. Back to the horrid scene of her blood spilled across the floor. Back to where this nightmare seemed to form and take shape. _How long ago was it that this ordeal has started? How long has it been since Tea had left? Three days? Four? It feels like years since I've stepped foot into my home…_

Leaning against the kitchen counter with his head resting on his arms he forced himself inwardly not to fall to pieces, to not snap and lose himself completely. Then the sudden existence of sound other than his own rapid fire heartbeats surprised him like no other… Just like the last time he stood at this spot trembling for another.

Reaching out he picked up the phone and held it to his ear to stop the annoying insistent ring. Without bothering to answer he waited for the other guy to break the silence. Kaiba swore he stood there holding the phone for an eternity for time seemed to move at a sluggish pace.

Abruptly a piercing cry of pain sounded through the connection that made him wince and pull the phone away from his ear. _Tea!_ Her tortured cry sent him reeling. Physical pain tore through his chest as if he had been stabbed through the heart repeatedly. He never knew that a single sound could bring so much pain. The scream only had a life of two seconds but to him it seemed to last for hours echoing through the corridors of his mind.

"Do you hear that or do you want a repeat?"

Came the dark threat following it.

Swallowing a threat Kaiba knew he could never follow-up on he answered, "I'm already doing what you asked me to. What do you want?"

"Want? We've been trying to communicate with you for days now," the mechanic voice answered.

Keeping his voice at a low growl he tried to sound as if he wasn't hurt by her cry, "Under unforeseen circumstances my cell is no longer useable," Kaiba went and took another cell from a kitchen drawer and made it call the number flashing on the phone receiver, "Use this one instead if you want me to contact you."

A low grunt of agreement was heard before another person stepped in and took the phone, "How many items have you gathered together by now, Kaiba?"

"I'm having trouble locating a few," he muttered wanting to be as vague as possible, "There really is no need to hurt her. I'll finish this by the end of this week."

"Hurt her? You know that we aren't rapists so what do you have to worry about?"

_This mocking tone… I recognize it from somewhere… Why do they have to switch between so many members? Sure, I'll take your word for it…not. How can I believe them?_

"Sure like I'll trust that statement or even place it in consideration…"

The sound of the phone being bumped across something then the scream came once again. Ringing harshly in his ear and grating across his nerves he wanted to cry back and say something comforting but before he could yell a word back her voice flooded through the phone line. Panicky and in pain it sounded alien to his ears.

"Seto? Where are you?"

Was all she got out before she screamed once again but that last time it was different. She cried out his name and it brought a sense of helplessness in him. He couldn't do anything. With all the power Kaiba held he couldn't do anything to protect her, to comfort her, while she's screaming out his name…

* * *

I'm getting dark again like the depressive teenager I am. I took about two days writing this. Slow I know for just three thousand small and insignificant words.

**Since you liked the Reality to Fiction section so much here it is for this chapter:**

**Phone Call:** I changed almost every aspect of this piece except the pain. Let me explain… There's this girl I like. I've been with her for a while now. You can actually trace her presence throughout this story.

She was the one I met on the roof that night, she was the one in the hotel side pool, she was the one I watched those cursed Disney movies with, she was the one who danced besides me in the downtown raining streets of downtown, she was the one who changed me completely after I felt like dying for losing the very first love of my life. She is the Tea I'm seeing in this whole story. Just Friday night, that crazy drunken party of Friday in the seventh day of March I had lost her to my rival. Why is it that any girl I've like always leave me for a football player? Her words felt like a knife that tore me to shreds.

On Saturday I planned to show her everything I am. I found out that she was already with Duke and that was why she didn't want to be with me. Why she didn't was because those 'friends' of her said that I had done something to them... Yeah, right. Who would believe them right? Well, she did. I wanted to go and prove to her that I didn't do such a thing. **I'm not a bad guy**. I swear I'm not a bad guy. I thought she'd figure that out from hanging with me through all of those times all of the songs I've sung, all of the times I've held her close and said those three little words, all those times I've lain by her side…you'd think she would see me as a good guy. Maybe I'll always be a villain…

On Saturday a phone call came, the number was from her house. Feeling hopeful I picked it up and Duke answered. He mocked me. The sound of her moaning for him, calling out for him… That sound was the equivalent of shoving me through a meat grinder. I…I feel as if someone just took something and scooped out all of my insides… Now I'm completely hollow…. I know I have using you as an outlet for all my thoughts. I hope you didn't mind listening in on the story of how Aeros lost everything that meant anything to him. This has been my story and I know it doesn't have a happy ending. The next chapter is probably the death chapter.

Review if you'd like…


	15. Fearing Premonition

Ok to start off this chapter will be a lot shorter due to the number of reviews it has been cut. Just to tell you this isn't the last one. Thank Goddess of the Moon for that. She's completely changed my outlook on the world. I used to think that the human race's only purpose on this world is to be a sack of walking flesh until we die as a sack of wrinkled flesh. We are all just bags of meat if you look at it. But no she changed that. Now I see us as puzzle pieces each of us has someone to make us whole while alone we are but a half.

She completes me even if we are complete opposites like fire and ice.  
But I'm continuing this just to let you know I'm not stopping it. 

Reader Reviews:

Rogue Lebeau: What does OMB stand for then? Aside from that thanks for liking the chapter. I appreciate all of the time you've stuck by this story so huge THANKS to you.

Violent Light: You** owe me**, big time. Thanks for the hint on Perazi. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have noticed that hash he slipped into my pocket. But seriously you, Sean, Drew, Byron, and the rest of you owe me. Do you have any idea what it's like facing the whole sports division? Not to mention the cheerleaders. I have a brace on my right arm because of you guys! See that I'm** crippled **now! **Crippled... **

Joking, I got run over by a hobo. Funny story to tell you later.

Evil Goddess Saiyajin: You reviewed twice cool. The reason why it feels real is because it is. I've been striving to make it sound that way so thank you for noticing it and for not being blind to it. I'm glad you found it humorous I try to lighten it up whenever I can.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I don't own the place I live in, I don't own this biscuit I'm nibbling, or the socks on my feet so how can you say I own something as big as Yu-Gi-Oh?

* * *

Hearing her cry out his name he swore his heart had skipped a beat and had lain still.

"What do you want from me?"

His voice came out as a feral growl but it wasn't heeded.

"We want a million four in shares and bonds from the Devlin Industries," the voice spoke with a mechanic rasp.

_They want me to involve Duke in this…why Duke? Sure he isn't the brightest bulb but he has always been there. I consider the guy my brother we're that close what will he think if I try and get him to help me? He'll probably look down on me. Also why do they want his money? Sure his stocks are selling pretty high for now… Are they telling me that my money is worthless?_

"Why Devlin?"

"Why not Devlin?"

Then the voice altered again, "Do you want to hear her yell for you again? Maybe we'll chop off more than a finger this time…"

Knowing an empty threat when he hears one Kaiba growled out, "Why not ask for cash instead of the bother of getting shares?"

"You are stepping on thin ice boy," another voice threatened.

"Do you have a bone to pick with Devlin?"

Kaiba wanted to narrow down the group to people he could actually get information about. If they were a group that Devlin recently got rid of like his board directors then he could target them directly.

Suddenly the calm, arrogant tone of the leader came on, "So what if we do? It's not your problem if his corporation crashes or he ends up splattered across the pavement somewhere. You may call him an associate but that's all he'll ever be to you."

_Obviously he knows nothing about the relationship I have with Duke. Meaning he barely knows anything about me. Then why did this group target Serenity? Something isn't right…_

"You want me to involve him fully don't you? You want me to get his help and have him sully his hands in this as well."

"What's the point if you just go over to your computer and get access into Devlin Industries and download the million four?"

Before a SpongeBob Kaiba could answer the front door clicked and opened. _I had forgotten to lock the front door? How could I have been so careless to have done that especially with a crime scene in my kitchen…?_

Then someone called him out, "Kaiba? Kaiba are you here? He never leaves the front door wide open even when he's home. Something must've happened… Kaiba? Are you ok man?"

Setting the phone down on the counter realizing the danger in letting his friend see the crime scene in his kitchen Kaiba tried to think up a three second plan that could ensure that he wouldn't be arrested for Tea's absence and safeguard Tea's safety as well. But turning around he could see that he was too late. Duke was standing there in the kitchen doorway his emerald eyes larger than saucers. The hand that was bracing the man against the doorway was clenched and drained of all color like the rest of his body. Seeing the coagulating puddle of blood by the CEO's dress shoes he assumed the very worse but he couldn't move.

Kaiba stood stone still not knowing what to do or what to say.

Duke on the other hand knew exactly what he should do and made a break for it.

* * *

So how do you like that? Less than six hundred words but just enough information to get you to understand the situation or predict it. I'm down to about twenty readers once again so tell me what you think of it.

Review if you don't want me to cut off some of Tea's fingers.


	16. False Sense of Security

Chapter 16

**_ALERT_**: I'm not the author of this story. I'm actually his girlfriend...

I'm Selene...the reason why I'm writing this to you instead of him is because he got in a bit of a scuffle. I don't know much of it I just know that on Wednesday night he returned home looking as if he had been trampled by a human footed horse with stilettos as his friends described it. He has been in and out of it since then and as much as I want to take him to the hospice he won't let me. I think he's afraid of the place but he's defiant saying that it's all just bruises and it's not as bad as it seems. The guy lost some of his back teeth, bunged his leg, can't move his arm right because he tore something, has gashes and bruises all over, and he calls it nothing. Just wait he'll come home without an arm the next time and will call it a scratch.

I swear, the guy is going to scare the life from me one day. Too bad I love the silly fool.

About the chapter:

He's written out this whole chapter along with the reviews he's received so that's going to be his voice. But I can't read his handwriting very well so I'll try my best. Now I know he writes things and posts' them at the same time but I'm going to use spell check.

Reader Reviews:

Hui Li: Yeah, that SpongeBob part was done purposely. I think I've already told you the reason. Thanks for the compliment.

Ozymandius: If you like how randomly the genre keeps changing it's going to change several more times until it keeps the line with suspenseful romance.

r0gue lebeau: You know how I promised to not mutilate Tea if I get a specific number of reviews? Yeah, I got four reviews only because Hui Li didn't object to me cutting off her fingers. ...Just playing with you Sweet.Red.Berries told me privately not to so I won't.

Shikon-Princess: Thanks for the compliment. Your question will be answered in this chapter. I guess chapter fifteen was sweet in a bittersweet way...

Violent Light: ...You're still laughing about the fact that I got run over by a hobo please get over it. Since I can't speak to you privately I'll just state it to you on here. Emi isn't going to prom and I'm saying that just to ruin your day. That wasn't the bad news though. She's going with Gunnar.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything just like you don't own a bookshelf made of duct tape and shoeboxes. So I don't own bad lawyer jokes, Yu-Gi-Oh, or German people.

* * *

Turning around he saw Duke standing there in the doorway…

He knew he had to catch the witness at this moment no matter what that cost may be. Duke won't leave the mansion devoid of harm. Without saying a word to the smaller man Kaiba lunged forwards and as soon as Duke saw the crazed CEO in mid-lunge he made a run for it. Smashing his funny bone into the kitchen door didn't even phase the raven haired man as he turned from the demonized Kaiba and ran as fast as he could out the open front door. Time decided to slow down exaggerating their wild movements, Duke felt as if Kaiba was breathing down his neck while his legs were frozen in place while Kaiba felt the iron bars that would chain him and the ice cold feeling of guilt if Tea was lost from his incapability to catch Duke.

Duke took off and hurled himself over the nearest couch to try and put some distance between his pursuer. But Kaiba was swift in following the adrenaline pumped man into the living room and before the man could clear the couch completely Kaiba grabbed onto his ankle and pulled him back causing Duke to crash into the floor. All Duke knew was that after he got up and was able to take five steps onto the plush living room carpet he felt arms enclose around his lungs, a heavy weight upon his lithe frame, and his head smashing into the coffee table. Lying disorientated on the carpet with an older man on top of him, a business partner no less it felt strange.

Dragging the frightened and frozen man towards him Kaiba pinned Duke under him. His mouth set in a grim line he said, "You weren't supposed to see that Duke. I really wished you didn't but I can't do anything about that now can I…?"

In a shaky and quivering tone Duke asked, "…and now because I did… You are going to hack me into little bits and dissolve the bits in sulphoric acid aren't you?"

Rising in eyebrow in confusion Kaiba uttered, "…errr…," in complete loss for words, "No…"

Duke still looked horrified, "You…you are going to make me drink bleach until my eyes swell up and dissolve…?"

"…no…" _How is he coming up with these preposterous ideas?_

Duke gasped, "Gasp! You plan to shove me in a blender and….and…you'll drink me!"

"Shove you in a blender? What's the possibility of that happening?" Kaiba stared at his friend as if he had cracked. _Why use a blender when I could use a wood chipper? …No, I didn't just think like him..._

"Babies can fall into blenders," Duke said matter-of-factly.

"That doesn't mean that I'll shove you in one. And drink you? What makes you think you have the capabilities of becoming a milk shake, Duke?

"You…you plan to…to eat me? I…I… You're like a brother to me…"

Feeling peeved from Duke's strange fears of cannibals or being casted in a Saw movie Kaiba growled and began to explain.

"I didn't hurt her I…"

Duke interrupted, "Her?"

"Tea stayed here for a while and that's her blood in the kitchen…"

"Yugi said something about her living with you… Wait, you aren't going to kill me?"

Ignoring Duke's question Kaiba instead inquired, "How does Yugi know?"

Duke shrugged as best as he could, "Bakura perhaps? I mean he lived here as well according to Ryou."

Heaving a sigh Kaiba went back to explaining.

"She shouldn't have stayed here with me, it wasn't safe. I knew it wasn't but still I kept her here instead of sending her to the Mutou's."

Duke gave him an imploring look and Kaiba continued.

Interrupting Kaiba's explanation Duke asked, "This isn't for real… is it?"

"I don't kid Duke. Especially about these things…"

After all was said and there was nothing left to uncover or reveal Kaiba stood and sat on the sofa with his head in his hands leaving Duke to lay there on the carpet in complete astonishment. It's not every day this sort of thing happens usually it's some psycho trying to rule the world by the use of cards and ancient monsters, some virtual cocky business men, a depressed widower, some dead ancient mummy, or some five thousand year old thief from Egypt. This time it's the normal/abnormal situation of a business man having to run around the world shooting people from an unknown group to save a damsel in distress. Who would have thought that the role of a business man playing the role of the hero? The whole idea is as preposterous as lawyers becoming zombies because hell ran out of vacancy.

Well, Kaiba isn't just any ordinary businessman he's a chief executive of office!

All Duke said when he sat up was, "You are either insane or should be a writer because that is one heck of a story."

Kaiba shook his head and walked back into the kitchen, the whole day left him at his wits end so maybe a cup of Joe could fix it all. He didn't care what Duke thought of him any longer or cared if the man believed him or not. Inwardly he hoped that Duke wouldn't believe him and would walk out of here instead of getting his hands sullied by this mess as well. Besides Duke all he wanted was to rest somehow to clear his mind and think about the situation in a new light. _It's better to have a clear mindset rather than think how they would want me to think. If I do what they expect I'm no worse than a puppet or their prisoner._ Most of all he just wanted something to dull the pain and leave it behind him.

Mindlessly he made himself a cup of coffee and leaning against the kitchen counter and sipped the hot black drink not minding the blood by his foot. Duke had warily followed Kaiba into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe seeing the elder man standing there coffee mug in hand looking completely as he would at the office except the distracting coagulated red spill brought a surreal feel to the present.

_Can this really be happening? Maybe I'm the one who's dreaming here, not Kaiba._

Drumming his fingers across the dining table as he strode into the kitchen Duke took a seat at the table in front of the brooding Kaiba. He looked up once at the imposing, gaunt form before looking down swallowing hard and tried to force conversation on the other's back, "So what is this organization called?"

Without human intervention or skipping a beat he answered, "They are called ou' Demon…but I doubt that they're French. They are the ones who got rid of the organization that killed Serenity…"

He scowled as the memories of that night flooded back and flickered to life once again and replayed. You can pretend to forget, you can forgive, you can bury the memories in the corners of your mind all you want but you're in complete denial if you think that those memories will never resurface and claw at your soul once more.

"So they have Tea as a bargaining chip and want the items and my shares?"

Kaiba just nodded before looking away and sipped at his coffee.

Duke then looked around nervously, "If they bugged the house like you said then why have you told me this in your home rather than dragging it outside? Or was it because I tried to make a hasty retreat did you have to risk it?"

Kaiba took a few steps towards the phone and placed it back on the receiver. Actions always speak louder than words often do.

"…Don't tell me that they had been listening this whole time," Duke seemed frustrated and seeing Kaiba's expression he knew it true, "Kaiba, just what are you planning in that deathtrap of a mind you have?"

"They want me to involve you in this. To get you to aid me…" _I'm just playing this game until I find some way out. Having them listen was the only way I knew how to announce it. I know that they could see me but I've had a few run-ins with their technology and they barely have any speakers, they're mostly cameras so having them listen in…_

"Insanity, mad ravings from a psychiatric ward ape that's what this all is. They want a million four in shares? What would that solve; hardly anything."

_Duke's throwing a hissy fit over barely a million dollars when Tea's life is on the line…something doesn't feel right… No, I'm just paranoid…?_

Kaiba set down his mug in the sink after the last bittersweet sip, "So are you going to lend me your hand in this?"

"Of course bro, but let's go back to my place. I don't keep a million dollars in shares in one place you know. Just keep in mind that you may have to wait since some of it is in the banks and since you want a physical transaction the wait might even be longer."

A bit curious as to how Duke was acting so calmly to the whole deal laid out before them when he should be freaking out asking why he hadn't called the cops in this or involved anyone else he blatantly agreed and went with it. Something was going on and he felt as if he was three steps behind; still he slipped out the front door behind Devlin not bothering to bring another coat.

The men quickly headed towards Duke's big black escalade on the driveway. Then shoving themselves in the car they took a drive to Devlin Manor. It was usually a fifteen minute ride usually so once twenty five minutes had passed and they weren't at their destined destination and the location was all wrong Kaiba knew something was up. Duke noticed the paranoia creeping up on the other's eyes so he tired to conciliate him by some words of comfort, "Kaiba, relax. We're just going to meet up with an old friend of mine first. He owes me some so he most likely will help our monetary problems."

Not feeling reassured like Duke wanted him to be Kaiba stayed on the alert. Duke drove up to a giant wrought iron gate and spoke through an intercom on the side and slowly the gates swung open letting them in. Gliding up the driveway the meticulously cared for green lawns on either sides of the drive rode up to a hill that rode up and met the house. The huge white marbled fortress stood looking gallant and luxurious as Pegasus' castle. Instead of appearing medieval this one looked as if it could have been created for the modern kings and queens of England. A fountain made of the same white stone featured a frozen scene of dolphins and fairies at play. Grandeur lights at the base of the house lit it up at night so you could still make out every detailed etched into the stone. The lights shone upwards at an angle but were still strong enough to light the lawns as well. From Roman styled statues to Vatican styled floral designs it seemed as if the castle was carved from a single block of marble it was so well sealed together.

Duke parked off to the side then together they stepped out of the car and walked up the smooth marble steps.

The huge doors swung open automatically it seemed. The interior was just as pristine and glorious as it was from the outside. The ceilings were painted with depictions of fairies, goddesses, pixies, and other such beautiful mythological creatures. A giant chandelier added silver and gold accents to the hall, created of shining metals and crystals it was stunning to behold but it was only the entrance hall. The walls were veined white marble but the floor was slabs of a light gray marble that were laid down with red veined marble to create intricate shapes of roses across the floor.

Duke seemed to know where he was going so Kaiba merely followed even though he felt a sort of evil within the place, an eerie melancholy of reprisal that hung about the place. Following the jittery man he saw that every corridor, hall, room was very carefully decorated in only gold or silver adornments. The palace was magnificent in its perfect splendor but it felt like a cage or a cold prison because it was so lifeless and still_. A perfect hell is my opinion of this place._

Duke then turned into a home office. A grand oak facing two uncomfortable plastic chairs meticulously set up on a thick wine red carpet. Shelves of books lined against one wall and a grand view of the front of the estate was displayed behind the desk shown through the wide set bay windows. Taking a seat he noticed to his right was a small pile of books on the ground set against the table. The titles were in German but they were unpublished. As soon as the author's name registered in his mind he turned to Duke wondering why the man had brought them to this lion's den. But it was no use asking Duke that question.

It's always better to assume the worst of situations to assess them…and this is the worst situation possible. Looking about him he knew he had walked into the trap too far to escape unscathed. There was no way he could smash that window and make a run for it like back in his teen years. The window could be bullet proof meaning that he would shatter his shoulder and collar bone or he would shatter the glass but would have to evade dogs and guards but either way he had no means of transportation from the hostile area. But it wasn't over. It was far from over. Even if they drive him out back and decide to blow his brains out they hadn't committed the act yet so there was still a chance.

His mind running faster than it's ever been this day he sensed the two opponents walking up behind his chair rather than seeing them. The guards stood at the sides of his chair seemingly to await orders. Kaiba calmly sat still and waited for the gloat of victory that he knew Duke would spout.

And he wasn't disappointed Duke went straight to it, "I can't believe you fell for it bro. Hah, to think that you would weaken to this extent over the years. When I first met you it was nigh impossible to even speak to you but look what happened after you invited everyone in," thinking that Kaiba would ask 'why' or 'I thought we were brothers' Duke paused but seeing how Kaiba remained impassive and listening he continued,

"Now don't think that all of those days back then and all of those memories were false. I considered you as close as a brother somewhere back there. You probably know or don't know why I've turned against you. Would you care to know?"

Instead of asking Duke the answer he wanted to reveal Kaiba instead asked, "Indeed you were close enough to be considered that but now you would give me up just to feed your ego?"

Duke smirked reminding Kaiba of the time when the guy was the dice master, "If I remember correctly it was you that would go to such great lengths just to save your ego, Seto. Remember you were the one who gave me the stepping stone to be one of the leading technology companies in the world. Right besides you of course but now it's time for me to rise above you."

Right as he was laughing a laugh every mocking victory needed one of the guards tapped on his shoulder reminding him of their presence. Kaiba stood as another guard from the right appeared and began prodding at him until Duke proclaim, "If you're looking for his gun it's on his back."

Before the guard could get the weapon from Kaiba, he took it out himself and handed it over. Duke was definitely enjoying the situation. After that guard took away the handgun another one shoved him back into his chair next to Duke. He scowled at the man besides him but he couldn't do anymore than that and that powerless feeling taunted him making him feel lower than dirt because he had trusted the man for so long without knowing, without knowing that such a traitor lie in wait underneath.

Suddenly Duke leaned over his lips just inches from Kaiba's ear and whispered softly, slowly but clear, "Imagine just a few years back I had Serenity this close to me. That pretty young wife of yours…"

Inwardly Kaiba was crying out loud and yelling in the frustration that he couldn't do a thing. He didn't want to believe Duke's words but in his mind he already knew them true from all those years back.

"All of those times when you left on those trips. Those so important business trips that lasted for weeks or months you left her perfectly alone with me. What a little actress she turned out to be. She pretended to love you while carrying my child… How do feel about that?"

_That's impossible. She wasn't… was she? Why am I even listening to him? Because it's true…I've denied it for the longest time. Not wanting to know it but the clues were there, plain for me to see. Damn it!_

"Who do you think controlled Shadow's every move…?"

_Duke, he… Serenity was killed because of the kid. Duke didn't want to get found out so he took the quick and easy route: he used his group of assassins… Then he purged the organization, got rid of Shadow but some members survived and now they kidnapped Tea to get to me because they knew I was connected to Duke. They can't fight him head on so instead they used me to get back at him… All of this was caused by the very man I had trusted with my life. If it wasn't for him Tea wouldn't have been kidnapped by those psychos and I didn't have to lose her…  
How could I be so dense and blind?_

Then as abruptly as he had begun whispering in his ear Duke turned away from him and stood up to greet the owner of the mansion as he stepped out from the room connected to the office. Kaiba was looking at the scene unfolding before his eyes but he didn't really see he was too jumbled in his thoughts to pay attention.

"…I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up so I'll leave you to it Siege," and with that Duke merrily whistled and walked back to his car glad to have gotten rid of the thorn in his side for so long.

Snapping from his thought Kaiba came face to face with a man he had never wanted to meet again since his last tournament.

"Vell, vell, vell. Look vhuat ve ave' ere'," Siegfried von Schroider looked down at Kaiba with a malevolent grin.

* * *

Hope you liked that. I couldn't really tell where he was going with the German guy's accent but…it's ok right?  
Again I'm not the author of this story I'm just the person to type it up so give the credits to the true author…then again this is his account…

He wrote out the reality to fiction things so here goes:

Shoved in a blender: This was an actual conversation I had with my friend where he began asking me if I was going to eat him and whatever. He's extremely afraid of cannibalistic clowns for some reason. Anyways, I was making some red cherry jell-o when I spilled some and it dripped from the counter to the floor. I tried to clean it up and I left handprints and when he came in he took one look at my red stained apron, the puddle of dead jell-o, my red hands and made a run for it and crazy instinct I tackled him. Then he came up with those strange ideas. I had to alter them though. He said that I was going to shove him through a meat grinder and eat him in the supper stew and a number of other things that I will remember if I think about it hard enough.

I hope you review.


	17. Inescapable Demise

To all out there who are still there and are pleased or unpleased by my return:  
I know I've been AWOL for a long time. There are several reasons for this unnecessary absence. The first reason was stated last chapter. The next reason was that I placed prom before writing for you so sorry but that's the way life goes. Then I caught some silly disease after prom and was bed ridden all week with horrible pains.

I'm still bedridden with an average temp of one hundred five but that should lower a bit. I have to get better by Monday for finals don't want to repeat senior year right? Actually better or not I'm taking my finals. I'm going to either pass out or die yay everyone yaaay! Death means I don't have to repeat senior year if I don't pass finals. YAY!

This is your chapter for this month so be happy. I'm sick as a mutt so weird humor and bad accents will appear. Do I have to remind you all, of the disastrous chapter with Pegasus and 4Kids that ended with Kaiba floating in the middle of nowhere?

Reply Section: Look for your review here peoples!

Demented Insane Spirit: I'm surprised you came by and reviewed at all and I already gave you a reply so I hope you like this next installment.

Jasmin Kaiba: Thanks for the review although I think I already said my appreciation. My mind is more horribly fried than I imagined possible so if you are offended by his bad accent that much just let me know and I'll go re-edit this whole chapter. He's only in one chapter you know? I just needed another villain that's all.

R0gue lebeau: Somehow you are sticking to this story like glue and I love you for it. Don't tell Selene that though she'll throw a fit. Duke is a bad guy he was always a bad guy. I didn't tell you? Well, he is. Sorry to break it to you but he's an antagonist. Hahaha feel better, me? Don't be joking now I'm always in a bad condition no matter how you look at me. I never get sick and this is the second time this year sadly.

Shikon-Princess: Another get well card? I'm never going to get well. Either viruses tear me up from the inside or fights tear me up from the outside. That's how I live. I will try and write the best I can to keep you satisfied. If you are still here then I thank you for being so patient with me.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and anyone. I live in an apartment with three other people that has three rooms and one of those is the bathroom so is there any way I can own a corporation that distributes anime shows? I didn't think so.

Where we left off:

"…I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up so I'll leave you to it Siege," and with that Duke merrily whistled and walked back to his car glad to have gotten rid of the thorn in his side for so long.

Snapping from his thoughts Kaiba came face to face with a man he had never wanted to meet again since his last tournament.

"Vell, vell, vell. Look vhuat ve ave' ere'," Siegfried von Schroider looked down at Kaiba with a malevolent grin.

"Herr Kaiba, ow' nice it is for you to ave' dropped by," Schroider took his place at his desk and looked into the other's eyes.

"Schroider," Kaiba acknowledged.

"Ow' does zit feel to be betrayed by your most trusted ally?"

Kaiba merely held the man's gaze instead of answering immediately. _I understand why Duke was against me and why his organization was after my life but why is Schroider involved? He has nothing to do with anything! …and her…I gave her everything she could ask for and still she chose him?_

"Vell?" It was obvious that Schroider didn't detect any of the turmoil behind those dark eyes.

"Hnnn," Kaiba averted his gaze, looking aloof but really scanning for an escape route.

"You merely scoff at zif he vuz nothing to you. I'm disappointed by your lack ov' emotion, Herr Kaiba."

Kaiba looked back into Schroider's eyes his head titled as if he wasn't paying close attention, "What do you expect me to do, burst into tears and expect you to put me out of my misery over an affair and betrayal?" _That came out better than I expected…a simple affair and a betrayal. However he wouldn't know it's nothing akin to that. Those actions pierced deeper than any one of your bullets can, Schroider._

"Vuat? You can't just feel nothing," the pink haired man grinned at him causing a feeling of repulsiveness against Schroider's mere presence.

Kaiba shrugged showing his indifference to the man hoping that he would gloat about whatever he had to gloat about then get to the point. _All villains need to gloat right?_ But instead of gloating or getting to the point Schroider did something completely unprofessional villain like and unexpected, "Zen you 'ave no use to me, Herr Kaiba. I already know that you von't ever bend to my vill or become one of my puppets like my guards so vhy don't I do as you so politely asked?"

Schroider got up and handed a key to his guard then in German said, "Take Mr. Kaiba from the premises. I don't want a mess to deal with in the morning."

Kaiba ignored what they were talking about even though he knew a bit of German, his mind wasn't cooperating enough to translate so he tired to think of what to do now to prevent getting killed here and now.

Thinking over his next course of action and the next steps necessary for survival he felt someone grip his upper arm pulling him from his seat. Kaiba easily shrugged the hand off and stood but didn't show any sign of retaliation besides staring the man down with blank eyes. Something glinted in the chandelier light that caught his eye. _Handcuffs, so they plan to drag me out back and put me down like a lame horse. There's no use in retaliating here… I'll have to play their game. _

Looking at the man in front of him straight in the eyes Kaiba placed both of his hands before him wrist to wrist. The guard who was anticipating a fight instead of surrender turned to his boss with a questioning look. Schroider just shrugged assuming that the CEO no longer had the will to fight. After all who would fight back when all of the odds were against him?

Schroider gave Kaiba one last cheeky grin and even waved as three of his guards escorted that thorn in his side away by gun point.

Kaiba ignored the jabs from their hand guns and tried to remember the hallways for a way to pass the time since there was no way of figuring out what happened next. He gave up once he noticed that each hallway they went through was the same white marble with the same garish decorations and the same chandelier lighting. After a while they stopped jabbing him with their guns and he felt a cold breeze rush through as the corridor turned in a slow quarter circle instead of the ninety degrees that all of the other hallways were fashioned from.

The walls slowly changed from white granite to grey marble to concrete with short rectangular tube lights built into the floor and ceiling instead of gaudy chandeliers or candles. The corridor eventually opened up and revealed a garage almost as large as his. Cars lined every which way and most were collectibles that he'd never drive like the Shelby Daytona Coupe because driving that old hunk of junk down the free way worth about 4.4 million would be a nightmare. Then again some cars like the golden yellow Lamborghine Mucielago in the corner and the Maybach 57 to his left were meant for speed and exotic looks but knowing Siegfried the guy wouldn't ever drive the cars over the limit. They all were in different colors like giant polished metallic colored stones shining in their display lights. Falsely admiring some of the burnished mint condition cars Kaiba barely noticed the guards as they stepped towards a silver Aston Martin Vanquish.

The tallest guard let out a sign and tugged on Kaiba's arm and gestured towards the open trunk. _Not surprising that I'd have to ride in the back._ Not hesitating for a second Kaiba stepped up onto the ledge of the trunk's rubber step and sat in it before lying down on the coarse fuzzy fabric not saying a word. The guard who thought this as his most easiest yet his most peculiar job as of now slammed the trunk closed and stepped into the heavy set muscle car and drove off into the night.

Now dark and reeking of rubber, the inside of the trunk didn't provide a very hopeful chance of escape. Letting out a sigh Kaiba wondered if what he did was right but even if he found some hole in his plan there's no way of changing it now. You can't just tell the bad guys to stop, drive back, and let you re-say everything you said or re-act what actions you took. You just have to work out the flaws in the future instead of blaming yourself over what flaws you made several minutes ago when you simply let a single guard command you into a trunk instead of running behind a few cars for cover before ducking out of the open garage and across the vacant lawns to that nearby house and call for help.

_Damn you Seto Kaiba! What was I thinking? Those two were just sitting listening to music and smoking their cigars and this one guy comes lumbering along and I... Deep breath, ignore it; shit happens sometimes. What did I do right then? I had them cuff my hands in front of me so I could reach the hand pistol at my foot. I made them underestimate me which is something I hate to do but it was necessary. What will I do once they open the trunk? I will sit up calmly to withdraw the gun from my ankle and when he opens the lid fully that's when I aim for a head shot. The gun doesn't have a silencer but that was for the best since silencers throw off a gun's aim by eighty percent at most so once I take down the first guy I better make a jump in the right direction._

It's either right or left so if either two of the other guys are on the left and right side of the car and anticipated me to retaliate I'm screwed. It's night time so hopefully they can't see like I can they'll be too used to the light inside of the car while playing their card games and smoking their cigars.

What if instead of giving me a chance to get out of the trunk the guy decides to shoot me then and there for a quicker and easier job? …Either way it's all against me but I can't get killed tonight, no not tonight. Tea is counting on me to save her from those bastards who killed Serenity.

Why did she stray from me, when? No, can't have suicidal thoughts now… Tea needs me.

Kaiba groaned as he tried to get comfortable in the trunk of a car but it wasn't possible since for him to fit he had to bring his knees up partly and it just isn't comfortable knowing you're being dragged to your execution. _I wonder how Tea's doing. I hope she's alright like they promised but knowing killers like them they are probably enjoying the sounds of her screams. Maybe they even cut off a finger or two for their own sick twisted enjoyment.  
_He shuddered from the thoughts but as soon as he brought it up within his mind the echo of her scream came back as if he heard it just minutes ago and morbid bloody scenes took place in his mind. They tore at him and his eyes pricked. But no matter how far his thoughts had strayed he knew he had to do only one thing this night and that was to survive it.

* * *

Tea's POV: AKA not written by me

"Get away from me," Tea squealed.

"Heh heh isn't this how you like it," a mysterious voice chimed in.

"Nooooo!"

"Haha," the man grinned then placed his hand behind his head and scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed, "Did he really say something like that?"

Tea gave the man a brief nod before taking a bite of her pizza.

The raven haired man creased his brows as he took a sip of his diet Coke, "What happened then?"

She looked up at him and abruptly leaned into him and asked, "Do you really want to know?"

He didn't answer her and instead looked at his friends.

The other three just gritted their teeth and said in an exasperating tone, "Just say 'yes' Kotsuzuka," in perfect unison.

Instead of waiting for Kotsuzuka's answer she instead gave a little smirk and continued her tale, "That's when he burst into the club spouting about his love for me and saved me from that other man's lust."

Tea let out a little sigh for effect and the men listened to her wholeheartedly. It practically was a show for them and she was the narrator and their favorite heroine. Out in the middle of nowhere there was no T.V. reception anyhow so might as well do something to keep from getting insane.

The room was dimly lit by a single flickering light bulb but flash lights littered the floor among the re-heated frozen pizzas and soda cans. Half eaten Crunch and Snickers bars were held in their hands while the wrappers crinkled and crackled underfoot as they shuffled for some pizza or other objects of their desire.

One of the masked men nudged another one of her captors, "Who's she talking about?"

The one he asked cuffed him in the back of his head, "Meikyu, you dummy. She's talking about her husband who else?"

While the others waited for her to begin another story or were too busy bickering Kotsuzuka offered her a Cola and she gladly took the cold drink and popped open the tab. Timid like always he asked, "Just a question but do you…Do you know…."

Tea raised an eyebrow at her captor's stuttering before saying, "You could ask me anything you know that."

"I was just wondering if you've ever seen the show…. Swan Lake?"

Tea spluttered into her drink. Spitting and chocking on her Cola she tried not to laugh at him since the guy seemed so meek but she couldn't help but laugh. Seeing his miserable face though she stopped immediately and asked in a straightforward question, "You like ballet?"

He nodded sadly his head hung down but in an effort to heighten his spirits Tea nudged him and said, "What's so wrong about liking ballet? I performed for Swan Lake once. That's not the same as seeing but I bet it counts as something."

Kotsuzuka looked up at her in surprise, "You danced in Swan Lake? Which show…no where did you perform?"

Tea frowned briefly thinking back to that night, "In Broadway, New York. In January but it only played for a few days…"

The man's eyes lit up and suddenly he hugged her, "It has always been my dream to meet someone who could move as graceful as a…" He paused noticing their compromising position and he let her go and quickly apologized looking away.

"You didn't even let me say my part and here you already praising me," Tea smiled cheerfully.

Kotsuzuka slowly brought his gaze level with her then back down at the wooden planks at his knees, "I don't need to know what part you played it because all of the parts were perfect in every way. Even if you played in only one of those parts you were…superb like water…"

Tea grinned and leaned back against her palms and in a dreamlike far off haze asked, "Say Kotsuzuka, where do you think he is now?"

"Hmmm, Kaiba? When we last checked he was…heading over to Siegfried Von Schroider's manor. I suppose he wanted to chat and most likely be pulling… tra…transactions or something that rich people do when they get together," the man shrugged. She often asks of his whereabouts so Kotsuzuka got used to the question.

Scoffing she said, "Him? Making deals with that shady man I don't think so. His accent though is so hilarious though don't you agree?"

He laid down on the worn smooth floorboards staring up at the dark ceiling, "Yeah, it's so incorrect it's as if he got dubbed by 4Kids."

Tea let out a laugh, "Ha, 4Kids what a ridiculous notion. Siegfried probably thought that an accent was cooler than nothing and made it up himself."

Kotsuzuka chuckled wryly then remembering Pegasus' outfit he said, "Is he related to Pegasus in some way? They ….they kind of have the same …bad tastes in style. Considering how they both dress in frill…frilly suits and have long hair…and duel with weird abnormal cards…like fairy tale or cartoony things."

"I never thought of that before. Pegasus could be his uncle or something," Tea mulled over the relation between the two and had a silly laugh into her soda.

"Oh, wow now that…that would make sense. Wait, where's Dartz in all of this? He has abnormal long hair and a bad taste in suits too. Lavender suits; who makes those less wears them?"

Tea burst out laughing at the notion that all three were related in some way and her captor, Kotsuzuka followed suit after her and had a good laugh as well.

* * *

Back to Kaiba's POV: AKA written by me.

_I'm going to kill those bastards for hurting Tea once I get out of this situation._

Kaiba let out a groan of pain as the car lurched and he was thrown towards the opening of the trunk. As he wriggled onto his back again he heard the slow crunch of tires on gravel. _How long have they been driving? It must have been an hour at least. I want to look at my watch but what good will that do?_ Suddenly the car came to a complete stop. For a brief moment he panicked.

What if they shoot me right here while I'm lying in here? They'll just throw me to the waste side dead or alive and will just continue on with their lives. What if they don't kill me but instead string me up on some pole and use me as cheap target practice? Or worse they let me run and shoot me down? Hearing their foot falls crunching on the gravel Kaiba's blood ran cold.

Then those thoughts began to spring up again with their unanswered 'what if' questions it was enough to make him mad without the sounds of the approaching footsteps from the passenger's side. Immediately he shook his head and forced himself to clear his mind. This isn't the time for useless questions like those. Kaiba took in three deep breathes trying to calm himself as much as possible.

Listening to the set of footsteps he determined that only one guard was sent out to dispose of him. So far his plan was looking good. Then there came three repetitive knocks against the metal hull of the trunk lid. Then the latch of the truck was released.

* * *

Ok, as you can see Selene once again wrote a part of it for me. She made up her own characters even though I told her not to but what are you to do? She's the one who cooks and cleans up this place a bit for me and was willing to type up the last chapter so who am I to complain? Although she did add the unneeded 4Kids joke if any of you caught it…

Anyways try and review I was kind of upset to have waited over three weeks with only four reviews.

So review if you can.

A simple, 'good job' would be fine with me.

Or even the occasional 'you suck' will be ok too.


	18. Certain Death and Half Naked Gaudy Men

I just have to say I'm incredibly sorry. I didn't mean to leave this project for so long without any updates but obstacles appeared and stopped me. First it was the finals. Finals made me stay up until odd hours and made me even more inhuman than I was. I basically only slept for two hours a night during finals week. Then once finals were over I should have started writing again but I didn't I decided to be selfish and spent time with my girlfriend by the beach.

Then as soon as summer began my wretch of a family who exiled me gave me an invitation back into the family. All I had to do was spend two weeks in the main mansion with all of my 'future' colleagues AKA my cousins and complete the four goals on the list to be relisted into the family. Then guess what happened while I was down there? I get called a lowly dog, beaten up to a pulp, nearly drowned, nearly run over, and completely ridiculed.

Staying with them was like looking into my past. I had acted the same way they had all those years ago. It reminded me of what a bastard I was and how ridiculous I sounded. Anyways the time limit of two weeks was extended to three as I failed to gain cooperation from my associates. But I'm back now and I hope you all are willing to forgive me.

Review Replies:

Demented Insane Spirit: I try not to jump place to place because it adds confusion. I don't know about you but I hate reading something over and over no knowing what the author meant like reading a text book.

I saw one showing of Swan Lake but it was so…repulsing (I think is the best word for it) to see men prancing about in tights. I chose it over the Bird of Paradise or the Nutcracker (both play during January) since I thought readers could relate to it more since they always read about that specific play in fan fictions.

Jasmin Kaiba: I won't take offense if you reply to this one late as well. As long as you give at least a word I don't mind. I don't care if it takes you months or years as long as there's something from you I can cherish. I don't know what Selene was thinking about the captor's scene but she liked it and seeing her smile I'd say it was very well made.

His accent sounded so cheesy and false so I think she brought out that point very well.

R0gue lebeau: Yeah, I killed his character… Can you find it in your heart to forgive me? I hope this update makes up for it.

Shikon-Princess: Thank you. I hope they get out all right as well. I'm thinking about making this a tragedy but I write too many unsatisfying endings so I'll try and make this have a bright and fulfilling ending…maybe…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything so what makes you think I own anything but my own words?

* * *

Where I left off:

_I'm going to kill those bastards for hurting Tea once I get out of this situation._

Kaiba let out a groan of pain as the car lurched and he was thrown towards the opening of the trunk. As he wriggled onto his back again he heard the slow crunch of tires on gravel. _How long have they been driving? It must have been an hour at least. I want to look at my watch but what good will that do?_ Suddenly the car came to a complete stop. For a brief moment he panicked.

_What if they shoot me right here while I'm lying in here? They'll just throw me to the waste side dead or alive and will just continue on with their lives. What if they don't kill me but instead string me up on some pole and use me as cheap target practice? Or worse they let me run and shoot me down?_ Hearing their foot falls crunching on the gravel Kaiba's blood ran cold.

Then those thoughts began to spring up again with their unanswered 'what if' questions it was enough to make him mad without the sounds of the approaching footsteps from the passenger's side. Immediately he shook his head and forced himself to clear his mind. _This isn't the time for useless questions like those_. Kaiba took in three deep breathes trying to calm himself as much as possible.

Listening to the set of footsteps he determined that only one man was sent out to dispose of him. So far his plan was looking good. Then there came three repetitive knocks against the metal hull of the trunk lid. Then the latch of the trunk was released.

Taking in a few breaths he felt his thudding heart beat slower nearing a calm state as the night air breezed through the small opening and ruffled his hair. The view of the night sky was a slit and in a few seconds he would be under them, dead or alive was his choice. Kaiba slowly sat up and withdrew his handgun and quietly flicking off the safety and cocking the hammer. He kept his hands between his ankles holding on to the cold metal instrument and kept it aimed at the strip of darkness that blocked his view of the stars behind it.

The trunk lifted and the muzzle of a gun was thrusted in his view but before the man fired Kaiba let his shpt resound into the night.

"I don't intend to die here," he muttered to himself.

Before the other mans realized the mishap Kaiba took hold of the rubber step at the rim of the trunk with his cuffed hands, pistol held between his jaws and threw himself into the empty air feet first. His mind set completely on her blue eyes he prepared the next few steps in his mind. But as soon as his feet touched the gravel he collapsed to his knees.

_Damn, lying in that trunk for so long must have cramped my legs worst than I originally thought. I had hoped to still be able to out run them but that looks to be impossible. No matter what I have to live through tonight I have to…_

_Gingerly and slowly he stood ignoring the pain shooting up and down his legs. Then he heard the sound of a car door opening to his left and right. If I wait here long enough I'll be surrounded_, _it's the worst case scenario I came up with… I counted for only one guy at a time… I guess you can't always have the best or fates._

The crunch of footsteps on gravel jolted him from his thoughts. If I stay here I will die, if I move I might get through this… Kaiba let go of the pistol and caught it between his hands. Fingers on the trigger he walked to the right quickly but not running since the hit men might suspect something was amiss. He was a few feet from the man and pointed the gun at him.

"Dutch?" The man called out.

_Just as I suspected their eyes aren't adjusted to the dark like mine are._

Kaiba took a single step forwards, aimed and fired. The hired gun in front of him wavered slightly as if he lost all of his energy before crumpling head first into the gravel.

As soon as the shot rang out the man still in the car tried to duck down and draw his weapon but Kaiba seeing the rapid movement shot a bullet through the glass window. A shatter of glass and a gurgle of pain followed by a crescendo of broken glass falling on gravel echoed in the heavy blanket of darkness. The man who was standing on the opposite side of the car heard the first shot but was powerless to stop the second. An easy ditch and assassinate mission turned into a desperate hunt for survival.

Kaiba leaned his back against the car away from the windows with his hands in front of him fingers ready, eyes flicking right to left, and ears pricked to hear the slightest of sounds. _I can't die here, not now. Not when her life is at stake because of my lousy mistake. I can't let someone die because of my irresponsibility especially not her…_

The last man thrusted his arm out and fired a shot down the side where Kaiba was but missed his side by a few inches. Before Kaiba could fire back the door a few inches from his hands clicked open. Immediately he hurled himself into the darkness in front of him. Thinking that the dark blur that was in front of him was a short drop the CEO found himself rolling in coarse, dry grass. Lying there he watched the man who fired that blind shot at him peer over the side of the car, seeing nothing he groped around the car still trying to see into the dark, moonless night. The smaller man in the car stepped out clutching his shoulder but was still holding his gun.

_I injured him at least… Fuck, I just assumed that I killed him… Simply lying here groveling in the weeds they'll eventually find me. Shooting at them would be idiotic and a waste of bullets since even if I kill one the other will know my location immediately. What can I do?_

Suddenly the taller one of the hired guns turned towards his direction and began firing in his direction. Grass and dirt showered over him slightly making Kaiba inched backwards into the small decline and pressed his body flat on the ground. As soon as the man paused in his assault Kaiba got up to his knees and noticing that the two mans were speaking to each other and not looking in his direction he stood up fully. He then ran sideways as he shot at them which resulted in them immediately aim and fire at him back. At that moment he shot a few rounds behind him before diving to the side hiding once again in the sparse grass near the car. Lying there on his stomach he watched as one of the men collapse into the gravel while the last man could only watch helplessly.

_One more left… He's going to be desperate. Shit, I'm down to one magazine. I shouldn't have fired all of those shots._

Crouching at the back of the car he couldn't see where the last guard was standing but he heard him. For once in his life Kaiba was glad that he had lost his good Italian shoes, woolen socks made less noise walking on gravel. The guard walked around with his gun leading, he was almost in Kaiba's visual when Kaiba had got up and tried to swerve out of the guard's sight. _Not good…_ His stupid woolen socks got snagged on something underneath the car when he had lifted his foot to move.

_No time to act now that murderer is a mere second from seeing me. Shit, the second passed and he's looking at me. _

Letting out a small sigh he reduced himself to trusting only his basis instincts. Ducking he felt the bullet whiz through his hair just above his head then before the second shot was fired Kaiba swung out his free leg straight to the man's shins taking the hired gun to the ground. Kaiba got up immediately resulting in losing his sock but ran to the first guard he had shot down and stole the keys hooked in his belt loop. Adrenaline still pumping he took the driver's seat, slammed the door and started the engine with the key simply labeled as 'car-Vanquish'. Then looking at his chained hands he suddenly started laughing.

_I was so arrogant as to think I've got this 'game' won when I can't even drive. The key… The key could be out there for all I know! _

Trying to find the barely humorous situation humorous enough to make himself laugh was all he could do to keep himself remotely calm and not go mad over the fact that he almost got killed out there and is frightened at the prospect of having to going back. But in doing so he noticed other keys on the keychain that were too short to be car keys. Hope filled him and he practically tore the key from the ignition to try them on the handcuffs.

_That killer could be getting up anytime now and should begin sneaking up on me pretty soon so I'd better hurry._

About four keys later he heard the slight click and the cuffs released their hold on his wrists. Kaiba yanked them off quickly and drove not seeing the still very alive hired gun standing at the hood of the car, aiming his handgun at the CEO and was very well about to shoot.

Feeling completely liberated he couldn't have noticed and in turn couldn't have cared less as he ran over a small and soft 'speed bump' as he left the empty lot and used the car's installed navigation system to lead him back to the city. _Nothing will stop me from bringing you home safely Tea. No one will stop me. Not Pegasus' guards, not Schroider, not Duke and certainly not some random small city assassins. I will see you again Tea, just wait for me!_

"What do you mean you're coming with me?"

"Kaiba, you need my help. Just admit it," the pharaoh decked out in all of his finest jewels stood before Kaiba with a slight smirk on his lips.

_After driving hundreds of miles back here to get the items and move on I get stopped by Yugi's angry palm tree just great…_

"Just take them off and hand them over Atemu I don't have time for this," Kaiba snarled.

Atemu looked at the bedraggled CEO unfettered by his gaze and smugly said, "You need my help if your style is to walk around like that. Besides who knows where the last two items are? Admit it Kaiba you need me."

Kaiba looked down at himself. His trench coat was long gone, his shirt full of holes coupled with grass stains was undone because too many buttons were missing, his once neat slacks had a slit down one side and his shoes were missing so they showed off his lost sock and his one argyle sock with a hole which his big toe stuck through.

_I'm hardly presentable… I look like a god forsaken bum! _

Instead of showing his displeasure of his looks he replied, "What do you know about style? You have tri-colored hair and you are wrapped in my mom's old living room curtain and those pants were stolen from some hoochie mama down the street."

Atemu frowned slightly looking at his clothes before asking, "What about my shirt? You like my shirt?"

"You aren't wearing one…"

"Well…well your parents are dead."

_How did I manage to get sucked into this conversation? Right, I drove a hundred miles away from a crowd of hit men to Yugi's house to ask for the stupid gold items when Yugi answered the door, saw it was me and called out all of the golden items stuck to this angry moronic starfish who constantly preaches about saving the world. The when I tried to pull off the said items the half naked Egyptian began to beg me to take him away from his home. It's moments like these that make me wonder why I didn't just shoot myself already…_

Kaiba rolled his eyes and relented, "Fine."

Atemu smirked victoriously, "and?"

_A girl can't be worth much if she isn't worth swallowing your pride over and so far I already did more than risk my life for her… _

18 chapters… I hope you are all happy with this. Four people raised their fingers and gave me a pat on the back. I wonder if I'm lucky enough to even receive one this time around. If you think I should continue this story, scroll down there and give me a hello if not then continue your way out the door.

The insults: Were incredibly generic I know but most of them were given to me by my band mates… The purple curtain one was really odd...

Kidnapping idea: Ever been knocked out and thrown into the trunk of an unknown vehicle before? I have… It scared the Jesus out of me.


	19. Weighing Locks

Weighing Locks

I apologize for now it is now the eighteenth of this glorious month of July and I didn't post the 19 chapter yet. Just to tell you I really fucked up this time. Got his in the side with a bat broke a few ribs but it's ok since I was loopy all morning from the vicodin and now I'm ready to start writing this thing.

My girlfriend has been screaming at me for the longest time now about how I should rest but guess what? Rest is for the dead so I'll continue sitting here and feel like screaming in pain. Hurts to fucking breathe but who in the world cares? So far I'm resisting taking my meds. If I take them I know I'll get all weird so I'll just grit my teeth and just let my fingers do all the work…

Let's just see how long I can go without pain medication before blacking out from the pain.

Reviewer Replies:

Bay Bay gurl: Thank you for the compliment. I hope this update was soon enough for you.

Kermita: Thanks for loving these written words. I really focus on details so I'm glad you noticed. I really hope you've enjoyed it so far. There's going to be even more shooting scenes and awkward insults just because you seem so pleased. Thank you for your appreciation.

R0gue lebeau: I hope you looked forward to this. I thank you for sticking with this story all of this time.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything yet…

Three reviews….huh. I guess that chapter wasn't as good as I thought but it received more hits than normal. I guess people are just mad at me for the late post.

* * *

Where I left off:

_How did I manage to get sucked into this conversation? Right, I drove a hundred miles away from a crowd of hit men to Yugi's house to ask for the stupid gold items when Yugi answered the door, saw it was me and called out all of the golden items stuck to this angry moronic starfish who constantly preaches about saving the world. Then when I tried to pull off the said items the half naked Egyptian began to beg me to take him away from his home. It's moments like these that make me wonder why I didn't just shoot myself already…_

Kaiba rolled his eyes and relented, "Fine."

Atemu smirked victoriously, "and?"

_A girl can't be worth much if she isn't worth swallowing your pride over and so far I already did more than risk my life for her… _

"…and I need your help Atemu in getting Tea back. But are you seriously going to walk around like that?"

The Egyptian shrugged slightly, "Why not? The kids on TV wear giant clocks and little men around their necks why can't I wear a dream catcher and a mini pyramid?"

"No wonder you're vertically challenged… Wait you watch Mtv?"

"Hey I'm right here Kaiba! The least you could do was make fun of me behind my back," Yugi poked his head out of a window, "when will you stop making fun of my height?! Just because I still look like a little kid," he said miserably.

Kaiba let out a sigh in exasperation, "Yugi, I was talking to Atemu and never."

Atemu looking like a maddened blowfish, "Kaiba, you know I could hear you, right?"

Kaiba felt weary of arguing with the pharaoh since it went nowhere and he just wanted to leave but he just had to open his mouth and say, "Under that ridiculous hair? You must be joking."

Atemu growled slightly straining slightly to glare straight into Kaiba's eyes as he barked, "Don't make fun of my hair, Kaiba. You are simply envious and upset because the last time you dyed your hair it looked as if you fell head first into a bucket of green food coloring. So just SHUT UP and give me the keys."

Kaiba threw the keys to the bejeweled walking pile of multi faceted gold before muttering to himself, "Me jealous of looking like an angry starfish, no thanks."

Then after remembering something Kaiba stated, "And I thought you said that you were born looking like a freaky tri-colored palm tree."

Atemu opened the door to the driver's seat and waited for Kaiba to seat himself before picking up on the argument, "I was born that way… At least my hair wasn't ever green!"

Kaiba had a grim expression on his face as if thinking if he should tell this to the pharaoh or not, "That incident wasn't on purpose; Mokuba slipped some dye in my shampoo. Just so you know I tried to wear a hat to hide it."

Atemu guffawed, "No hats could fit over your big melon, priest…Besides the pope hat!"

Kaiba buckled his seat belt then was about to state that his watermelon wasn't so huge that only the pope hat could hide it but seeing Atemu still sitting there he asked, "Are you going to drive or are your ancient brains too fried to comprehend modern vehicles?"

"I know how to drive. How dare you accuse me of such a thing," Atemu looked at the seatbelts with confusion.

Kaiba sat back in his seat pleased to have some peace and closing his eyes he hoped that he could end up in her arms soon.

Moments passed without the car starting or any sound and that very silence woke him curious as to what happened. Then seeing Atemu struggling with his seatbelt made him feel as if deadweight had fallen onto his shoulders; another burden he'd have to carry.

"You don't know how to drive do you?"

Atemu nodded vigorously as if to tell Kaiba he could drive.

"Your seatbelt is around your neck and how you've managed to wrap it fully around your arms eludes me. I doubt you can drive…"

Rolling his eyes Kaiba leaned over and unbuckled Atemu's seatbelt, causing it to zip back into its slot, "I'm driving."

"You cut my lip," Atemu tilted his head to the side showing Kaiba the cut.

"I wonder how that happened."

The CEO stepped out of the vehicle, threw Atemu out of the driver's seat and stuck the key into the ignition. The engine roared to life just as the passenger door slammed shut and the gaudy pharaoh returned to his side adorned in all of the millennium items.

Uncomfortably fidgeting he asked, "Kaiba…how do you put on a seatbelt?"

Glaring at him Kaiba grabbed the tip of the seatbelt between his thumb and forefinger and waited for the other to do the same before greatly exaggerating the motion which one goes through in order to put on a seatbelt.

"…thanks."

Kaiba faced forwards but then he asked, "Are you sure you took your pills today?"

"Are you sure you took your SHUT THE FUCK UP this morning?"

Kaiba glowered at Atemu who glowered back before he got straight to the point, "Where are the last items?"

"Drive to the Laundromat, turn right, then head towards the bus stop down by the grocery store and that's when you drive through the parking lot to the next street over by the blue store but don't go in it but go through the back way then…"

Kaiba interrupted, "Stop, just point the way. It's obvious you can't give me any street names."

"Sure…"

Backing out of the driveway and onto the street he couldn't help but notice Atemu waving to the house. At first he thought he was simply waving at Yugi but Yugi wasn't in sight.

Irritated Kaiba asked, "Who are you waving to?"

"My home," Atemu replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Kaiba turned out of the cul-de-sac as he asked, "Why?"

"Because it's something I love. Saying goodbye and parting with something or someone you cherish is a harsh thing but one can lessen that blow by a simple motion."

"You do realize that you are talking about a house right?"

Atemu looked at Kaiba with an accusatory stare, "It's a home. One day when you have a family -which I doubt- you'll understand."

"You're practically spouting nonsense to me. And why are you adopting the Westerner's gesture of saying goodbye? Waving like that means to ask something to come to you… Apparently Yugi didn't teach you very well."

"It's not just a house…"

Kaiba just shrugged, "Which way?"

Atemu pointed left so Kaiba drove left and soon they saw the Laundromat and remembering the directions Kaiba then drove right to the bus stop. Then after driving through the parking lot and to the blue store and through the back to see a roundabout Atemu starts pointing the directions again. Then minutes later they were cruising in and out of small neighborhoods then finally back onto the streets. After a while of following the Egyptian's twisted directions Kaiba noticed the same grocery store he had passed twenty minutes earlier.

Atemu then proceeded to point left at the next intersection but Kaiba paid him no mind as he abruptly pulled right into the parking lot of the grocery store.

"We have been driving in circles, Atemu. What do you suppose that means? More importantly who's at fault here?"

The pharaoh didn't even have time to respond when Kaiba leaned over and yelled, "It means that you are a useless and moronic liar! That and you made me drive in circles believing that you knew where to go! I was played by a fool…."

Seeing how Atemu looked as if he now was wallowing in self pity he drove back to Yugi's house hoping the Lollipop Guild member had any ideas as to where the scale and key were to be found.

"Hello you two, why back so soon?"

"He lied to me," Kaiba jabbed at the man at fault with his thumb.

Yugi contemplated for a bit then said, "The last items are the key and the scales… They are the only two Atemu isn't wearing… Shadi is the one with both of them."

"Shadi? Who is he and why haven't I heard of him until now?"

Atemu and Yugi both stared at Kaiba before Atemu decided to explain, "Don't you remember Kaiba? Shadi is the one with the turban."

Seeing Kaiba's blank expression Atemu pressed on, "He sticks his key into people's head sometimes."

The CEO looked disgusted.

"Umm… he can walk through your mind and talk to your thoughts."

Yugi slapped his palm to his forehead while Kaiba asked blankly, "Are you sure he's stable Yugi? Maybe he needs to go somewhere…"

Atemu looked confused by Kaiba's suggestion until the meaning hit him full force. Immediately the pharaoh stood to his full height and jabbed Kaiba in the chest, "What don't you take a vacation to SHUT THE HELL UP?!"

Rolling his purple eyes Yugi said, "You've met Shadi before at your wedding. Remember? He's been going out with Isis for a long time. Actually they could be married…"

Kaiba not one to take notice of other's relationships wouldn't have ever known that but said, "Where can I find him? He wasn't at the Ishtar's place when I went there a few days ago."

"Oh, he doesn't go to their house. Shadi prefers to live at the museum for some reason. I'm not sure what exhibit though so it could take you weeks to find him but he's there…somewhere."

Kaiba gave Yugi a weird look, "Isis is here temporarily for a few days and he isn't with her?"

Yugi frowned a bit before saying, "He could teleport. I mean travel through dimensions and stuff."

"He could be anywhere he wants in the world but he chooses to be in the place people don't even have the nerve visit even if their lives depended on it?"

"The museum isn't that bad Kaiba. It is true that people avoid history like the plague. Maybe they are reminded of history classes in high school… I have his number, do you want it?"

"K, thanks," Kaiba took the slip of paper Yugi had scribbled the digits on before striding back to the car.

Atemu followed him and waved Yugi and his home goodbye.

Kaiba started up the car as the pharaoh got into the passenger seat asking, "So are we going to a place full of things as old as I am?"

"Keep the small talk to yourself and let me do the driving."

Fifteen minutes later and they arrived on the front steps of the Domino museum. The last time Kaiba stepped foot into the building a rare and powerful card was given to him in return he had been asked to start a whole war between an insane Egyptian and this world saving flaming pineapple. This time he came here looking for a person who would hopefully be able to give him what he needed in order to stop a bunch of crazed blood seeking cloak wearing assassins from killing the girl of his dreams.

Atemu remembered the building as if it was the back of his hand. Grinning to Kaiba he then said, "You don't look very happy to be here Kaiba."

"Bad memories," Kaiba muttered remembering what the Egyptian woman put him through the last time he was here.

The pharaoh smirked, "You don't have any good memories, do you?"

Scowling at the directory Kaiba said, "How can you be so cheerful standing in this place? It's filled with dead things."

Seeing the mummy of a past king that Kaiba was gesturing at Atemu shrugged, "It reminds me of good memories. Like that time long ago when we grew up together and were the best of friends."

"If I recall correctly you were enemies with the priest."

"You recall incorrectly."

"Whatever," Kaiba muttered and walked into an exhibit hall that told the history about the Mongols in the north. Atemu followed and after all while stopped and stared at one of them. Kaiba stopped seeing that had Atemu stopped in front of a mannequin in Chinese clothing.

Walking to Atemu's side he asked, "What are you doing?"

He pointed up at the Chinese swordsman confronting the Mongols, "He looks like you."

Pursing his lips Kaiba grabbed the back of Atemu's shirt and dragged him down the next hall where there were stuffed animals from Africa. Kaiba proceeded to look about the place for an unusual character dressed in white robes when the pharaoh ran up to the lion display and began poking the animals as if not believing they weren't real. Kaiba hoped that no one associated him with the crazed Egyptian staring a stuffed zebra in the face.

Then again there wasn't anyone to accuse him of having an odd companion. Kaiba waved to Atemu and waited for the man to follow him to the directory post.

Throwing Atemu a wearied glance he said, "You check the Egyptian exhibit I'll check the Native exhibit. If you find him drag him to the main lobby if you can, if you don't find him meet me at the main lobby at three. There are clocks all over this place so no excuses about not having a sundial."

Atemu rolled his ruby red eyes as he strolled towards the Egyptian exhibit, "Ha ha, very funny Kaiba."

Kaiba quickly strode through the museum exhibit looking for where an Egyptian man with a turban might be. Staring at all of the people who stood staring at the old styled clothes and culture he searched the crowds for anyone who looked remotely like that. Statues of samurais and mannequins with flashy geisha outfits of old stood in glass cases which he passed without a blink of an eye. Suddenly he paused in his searching and looked up he was in the hall which held history of the Wolves of the Mibu. _This is the last hall speaking of the Meiji era so now I have to go searching through another exhibit._ Letting out a breath he tried to keep his hands from shaking. _How long has it been since I've actually slept or had a decent meal…too long._

Finding no one fitting that description in the Native exhibit he went off through the ice age/meltdown exhibit. Staring at stuffed saber tooth tigers and giant beavers was proved to be uninteresting and looking for this man walking around in a bathrobe and turban was beginning to frustrate him. Mammoths and oversized sloths stared at him as he traversed one hall to the next looking for this weird possible fiancé of Isis.

Atemu on the other hand was happily walking around looking at the old tablets and scrolls of papyrus that the exhibits held. Then remembering about the giant slabs of rock that Isis showed to him before, Atemu stepped over the red velvet rope and walked downstairs. The three glass cases were still there but before he could step up and read them a snore from his far right stopped him. Curious Atemu walked over to the pillars to see a man in the corner of the room on a cot.

The man was asleep, sprawled on top of his bed covers. He was dressed in a pure white robe and attached was cloak with a blue underside. A turban was lopsidedly placed on his head and he still had slippers on his feet. Snoring like he hadn't a care in the world was the one and only…

_Shadi! I must alert Kaiba. _

Atemu quickly got up the stairs and ran like a madman searching for the angsty and ever frosty Kaiba. He ran as far as the main lobby before he stopped to stare at a peculiar stuffed creature. It was an overgrown lizard of unimaginable proportions. Its mouth was in a mid roar and its body was caught in a mid run. Atemu stared up at it awe. _There's no way something could have been that big, could it? It's bigger than an elephant! Ooh, look at these ones. They are smaller but so peculiar looking. _

So amazed as he was by a fake badly painted tyrannosaurus he forgot all about telling Kaiba about Shadi. But that wasn't a problem.

Kaiba -bored as ever from looking at history coming to life in his mind- wandered to the main lobby hoping he'd be able to sit on a bench and rest for a few minutes before Atemu came. He stopped before a worn wooden bench but then stopped when he saw Atemu walking on the dinosaur display that was a part of the main lobby's décor. Part of him wanted him to rush over and drag the pharaoh away from the overgrown Styrofoam lizards but he listened to the part of him that wanted to see what the pharaoh would do.

Sitting on the bench he watched as Atemu poked one of the raptors in the eye then wandered over to where the diplodocuses were and stared up at them. A few people stared at him but must have thought he was a part of the exhibit because he was covered almost completely with golden Egyptian artifacts. Atemu stared at the peculiar armored reptiles next but then managed to knock one over sending it careening to the sawdust floor it was set on. It rolled strangely with an almost happy looking face as it collided with another dinosaur. Atemu was trying to steady the rolling barrel of a creature when it caught him and rolled him back into the Egyptian exhibit. Kaiba just lazily stared at the chaos around him. The ring of lizards that had stood so proudly around the main lobby slowly began to topple. Eventually the last one, the tyrannosaurus fell its gaping mouth enclosing around the sleeping lobby attendant.

_If people actually went to this place they would've been able to see the destruction one ignorant Pharaoh produced_.

Kaiba slowly got to his knees then went over to pick up the dazed Atemu. "How do you expect this to be cleaned up?"

Atemu looked at all of the collapsed giant lizards. His eyes went wide trying to think of something he could say that would temporarily patch up his mistake. Then remembering about the sleeping bathrobe man Atemu said, "I know where Shadi is."

Kaiba's expression immediately brightened, "Where is here?"

Letting out a sigh of relief the burning pineapple obsessed about saving the world lead the arrogant mushroom towards the bathrobe and key blade possessor.

Stepping down the stairs leading to the lower chambers of the museum Atemu was glad to still be able to hear Shadi's loud snores. Kaiba wrinkled his nose in displeasure of standing in the place where he was forced to look into his past. He quickly walked over to Shadi and prodded him lightly to wake him up. Shadi however batted Kaiba's hand out of the way and continued his nap. Atemu looked at Shadi blankly.

Kaiba nudged him harder but Shadi didn't respond. Kaiba was going to try something else when Atemu stopped him and said, "Let me try."

The pharaoh looked as if he was about to push Shadi off of the small cot when instead he suddenly yanked off the Shadi's slipper and slapped his face with it.

The turbanator awoke suddenly and peered at them though his liquid blue eyes. He wondered what the priest's reincarnation and the pharaoh were doing standing by his bedside but more than that he wondered why the two of them looked at him like that.

Kaiba was in complete shock. Atemu on the other hand had the oddest look on his face as if he had witnessed a miracle that resulted in a five second tragedy like having Jesus arrive at your party to turn water into wine but he was so drunk he ended up turned your beer into a mini disco party of the eighties that oddly included Ashton Kutcher.

Shadi's turban had fallen off of his head when the Pharaoh had rapped him on the head with his own shoe causing it to reveal his giant overly green Mohawk of incredible size and color. Not to mention there was a giant tattoo of Isis wearing barely anything on the side of the hairdo.

"I thought he was bald," were the only words that spilled from Kaiba's mouth.

"Me too…and I knew him longer than you have."

Shadi realizing that the two were staring at what was on top of his head quickly threw on his turban and tried to look completely normal and that nothing had been exposed.

"Pharaoh, Kaiba, what can I do for you two?"

Atemu and Kaiba were still staring at the space where the giant green spiky mess on top of Shadi's head was.

"It was like a bunch of random plants were planted on top of his head and a scantily clad Isis had been tending to them…"

Kaiba just nodded in agreement.

"Just pretend you didn't see that," Shadi resembled a wilted flower. Drooped and felt ugly.

Atemu and Kaiba echoed in unison, "How can we not?"

"Just pretend you didn't! Now why are you here?"

Kaiba blinking away his amazement from the shock of seeing such an oddity explained the whole of his situation to Shadi. Shadi didn't ask any questions and mostly just nodded numbly.

"So basically you're here to collect the millennium items to save a girl. And here I thought someone actually wanted to see me…"

The bedraggled CEO waited for Shadi to say or do something.

Shadi shrugged and the key and the scales came to his hands and he handed them over to the already over adorned Atemu. Kaiba was glad to be leaving the museum so he started to leave when he heard Shadi say, "I think you've finally moved on Kaiba. I wish you good luck on saving her. She must be really something to have gotten through to you."

"Hnnn, let's go Atemu."

The pharaoh bid Shadi a farewell before letting the man go back to sleep and he went off to follow Kaiba.

After they were back in the car Atemu asked, "Where to now? Are you going to hand me over to Tea's captures?"

"I don't plan to hand you. What would they want with you anyhow? I'm giving the items to them but before that we have to stop by Duke's place."

Atemu buckled his seatbelt, "Why?"

Kaiba started the engine, "They want a large sum of money from Duke's estate…"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

There ends another chapter.

…I spent four hours typing can you believe that? Throughout all of that time I didn't even take my pain killers. I'm actually pretty proud of myself.

Museum deal: Once just once I had to go look for someone in the museum because we had a school trip and he was left behind. My best buddy thought that all of the animals were frozen in time and were really alive. When I told him they were fake he didn't believe me and knocked over a small antelope creature. Most of the time he was poking the fake animals while I was looking for that guy I barely knew. My friend had no care about anything he wandered into the display cases even. Barely anyone was there so I was glad but the guy was nuts. He'd go and sneak into the display cases and would scare people. You know those exhibits were everything in the display case was dark and suddenly the light flashed on? Yeah, he'd go into those and scare people. But like I said there was barely anyone to scare so he bored easily.

I found the guy we were looking for sleeping in the cavemen exhibit. That whole day was a waste of time and was humiliating…

Review if you will. I'm looking for over 4 reviews. Over 68 people read last chapter but I got 3 reviews.

I must be a horrible writer if only 4.4 percent gave feedback.


	20. Hoist Up Your Arms Devlin

"Hoist up your arms Devlin!"

At a loss of words Kaiba just simply stared at Atemu.

"Don't people say that nowadays?" Seeing no reaction from Kaiba's blank stare Atemu explained, "They say it to the criminals on a show I watch."

"…I thought after over a decade of living here you would have gotten used to it but it seems that all you were doing was watching CSI."

Atemu bobbed his head happily.

Sitting in the car in front of Duke's house Kaiba wondered if the crazed pharaoh should go with him. At first he thought: _Perhaps having another business man by my side that he had readily trusted throughout his teen and adult years would convince him to hand over his stock instead of me having to liberate his brains from his skull with this gun. If it comes to it I might kill him just to kill him. …how could Serenity…how could he…? No matter it's Tea's life in my hands now and I won't let him take that from me as well. _

Then Kaiba thought: _Atemu isn't sane. He's been saying odd things old cops would say to their soon to be prisoners for these last fifteen minutes. _

"...Kaiba, are you alright? You've been looking a tad constipated since we parked here," Atemu poked him in the ribs.

Kaiba immediately turned his head over to Atemu who was amazed that Kaiba's head didn't snap off from that sudden movement, "What?!"

"Nothing…"

Deciding it wasn't safe to leave Atemu in the car by himself with the sun setting Kaiba opened his driver's door and beckoned the other to follow him quietly. _If I left him in the car by himself he could get himself abducted. If that happened then I would be forced to choose between him and Tea; that isn't a choice I want to make…If I bring him with me then what? At least he'll be a good blunt object to throw at Duke. _

Atemu gladly followed Kaiba feeling as if he was playing a role in those American police shows he's watched. It made his heart beat quickened to a loud dull thud in his ears and dread slowing down his footsteps. _I haven't felt this excited since my last real duel for the world. Who knew that a children's card game that was recreated by a silly man could save the world?_

Kaiba looked up at the two story home of Duke. An American SUV sat on the expansive driveway. Twelve foot oak heart doors stood tall, intimidating all who stand in front of them. Wide bay windows expose the outside world to the second floor. The left most room on the top floor had a light on which meant that Duke was awake and was most likely typing away on his laptop. With the sun setting just beyond the horizon behind Duke's home he and the pharaoh were immersed in shadow. The pair approached the wide double doors.

A black wolf served as a knocker for the doors. Kaiba knew that once Duke opened the doors a grand branched staircase leading to the upper floor was just a few steps from the door and that a roomy office was to the right hand side and to the left was an archway that led to the specialty chef's room and kitchen. Beyond that staircase and past that office laid a living room with dark leather couches and plush rugs facing a TV set Kaiba could even feel envy of. He had been to this place countless times but this time it'd be different.

With a wave of his hand Atemu came to his side. Kaiba whispered something into the other's ear then ducked into the side bushes between the columns holding up the lip of ceiling over the doors. The pharaoh feeling a bit confused of the other's intentions knocked on the door using the knocker and as the deep hollow sound from the door resounded throughout the house Atemu placed his hands behind his back and waited. Soon that sound of bare feet slapping on marbled floors came into range of hearing.

When Duke opened the door and saw Atemu standing there looking completely clueless he was relieved. _See Duke there's nothing to be afraid of. It's just Atemu. Not Kaiba or anyone of threat. …It'll be all over the news tomorrow that Kaiba's missing and he'll soon be pronounced dead Schroider never fails to kill anyone. Everything will be alright._

He offered the pharaoh to come in but instead Atemu shied from him it seemed and moved back towards the last step onto the landing into his front door. Duke was mildly confused by his friend's action but what confused him more what the car Atemu had driven here in. _An Ashton Martin Vanquish? Where'd did he get a car like that? Wait, Atemu can't drive. _

Before Duke could ask where Yugi was something rushed out from the corner of his vision before he could clearly see that it was an enraged Kaiba wielding a gardening tool Duke was out cold and had made a sickening thud as he fell to the ground head first. Kaiba frowned at the body as if that wasn't what he had in mind. _…his head didn't implode like I originally planned but that wouldn't be probable so this will do. It's better if he's kept alive for now. _

Atemu who had been waiting for Kaiba to burst from the bushes didn't expect that to happen. It was hard to envision the CEO inflicting actual pain sometimes especially using such underhanded tactics such as jumping out of bushes and smacking someone in the back of the head with a shovel.

"Kaiba," Atemu gasped.

Kaiba turned to Atemu with a questioning look as if to ask what he did wrong then turning to Duke he easily lifted the limp body and went inside. The house was just as he remembered high intimidating ceilings, comfortable lounges, a good bar to the side of the kitchen, spacious living room, and windows to the back yard pool were as big as walls. Atemu slowly entered the home and just watched from the side as Kaiba threw Duke onto a loveseat couch before rushing down stairs that supposedly led to the basement. The pharaoh wandered the house in wonder since he had only been here once and that was only the side of the house where Duke showed off the grand fishing boat he got from Kaiba.

Atemu absent mindedly fingered a ruby shaded glass lamp in the shape of an open ended tear, "This house is full of fascinating things."

Kaiba just ignored the jabbering of the spiny mummy as he duck taped his associate into a dining chair. "Remember Atemu all we're here for is to get a million eight, after that we leave."

The ancient king turned to Kaiba with an odd look of exhilaration, "Are we robbing him Kaiba? That's a bit low isn't it even for you…"

He stood and looked at his workmanship of Duke's binds, "What do you suspect I do? Duel him for money?"

"That would be fair," Atemu said after thinking over it.

Kaiba gave an exasperated sigh, "What is fair Atemu? Because of this guy Tea was kidnapped. The result of that was the ransom of all seven items and almost two million dollars to get her back. So tell me what is fair?"

The old king thought about it for a moment before replying, "We should do more than steal money then…"

"…Why?"

"Because slowly he'll starve to death without money or anything it's the most torturous thing we could do to him," he spoke as if it was the most brilliant deduction he had ever made.

Feeling a migraine coming because of talking to the pharaoh Kaiba relented and said in exaggeration, "Fine, why not light him partially on fire too so that he will slowly burn for the rest of his life in his shame."

"Good idea."

Kaiba was about to tell Atemu that he didn't really mean it but he stopped. _What's the use of telling him? It's not like he'll actually light Duke on fire. Then seeing himself in the mirror Kaiba was taken aback. I have to find something better than this to wear. That crazed pineapple is right._

"Atemu, watch Duke. I'm going to go get changed," Kaiba shouted to Atemu who was fiddling with what looked like a lighter before dashing up the staircase.

_I know I left at least one pair of clothes here. I changed out of them but didn't ever get a chance to pick them up no matter how many times Duke irritated me about it with his unnecessary whining._ Striding into the guest room Kaiba looked into the closet and in there nestled among women's clothing was a clear plastic bag with a pressed shirt, tie, and slacks. He had thought briefly of showering but fearing it would take too long and he'd lower his defenses he quickly dismissed the thought. Quickly tearing off the grime covered dress shirt and slacks he then fitted himself with the package of clean ones.

The dress shirt was a fresh white color, the slacks were ordinary, the socks didn't match unfortunately, the tie was off colored so he stuffed it in his pocket, and he was now furiously digging for shoes. Not finding any he walked over to the master bedroom that Duke resided in and procured a pair of his shoes. _I'm going to take nearly two million from him so a pair of shoes wouldn't make too much of a difference. _

Walking back downstairs he found Atemu sitting on a chair facing Duke -who had several burn marks in his clothing not to mention random splashes of water on him in some places- and was eyeing him critically as if the guy would stab him at any moment.

Seeing how carefully Atemu was watching Duke and how the captive was stuck to that chair he felt as if he could rest easily even if it only was for a moment.

Kaiba sauntered over to a three seat couch and to Atemu said, "Wake me when he wakes up or does anything peculiar."

"Why do I have to watch him?"

Flopped onto the couch on his back he really didn't want to answer but he said, "If you can't stay up drink the brown liquid contained in that glass cup that's in that machine you were looking at earlier. I don't know about you but I haven't slept in four days."

Atemu eventually drank the odd warm brown drink and stayed up late enough to see the rising sun.

Duke woke up to see Atemu gazing at him with wide purple eyes that were almost like Yugi's. There was a grin that looked almost cynical on his face as he looked at the raven haired man. Emerald eyes swiveled past the curious look of the pharaoh and saw his kitchen in complete disarray then his eyes adjusted and he realized that it only seemed disorganized. Some appliances were placed out of order, a fish lay on the counter, most of the cooking utensils were scattered about the countertops but were lined up strangely enough. _Odd… Maybe I'm just seeing things. Wait, why can't I move my arms? What happened last night?_

He repeated the last question aloud to Atemu who was staring at him still.

"Kaiba hit you with a shovel and that's about the most interesting that happened."

Then the pharaoh walked out of his field of vision but Duke didn't care he had better things to be concerned about. _Kaiba… Kaiba's alive? How can that be? Schroider sent armed assassins after him and I had heard that he went willingly as if accepting his fate. Why must the man be so hard to kill?  
_  
Atemu stood over the prone body of Kaiba wondering if he should wake him or not. _Maybe I should let him be for a few more hours. I can still stay awake. For four days straight he chased after the items, killed and maimed, all in the name of Tea. Who could've seen that he still had a heart? …I kind of wonder if he has an inner incentive other than Tea. _

_I'll try to wake him if he doesn't want to confront Duke now I'll let him rest for a while longer. It's not like Duke has guards…right?_

The pharaoh nudged the CEO's shoulder a bit. Unexpectedly Kaiba bolted upright and looked at Atemu, "What's happening?"

"Duke's awake…but you can rest…"

"No time for that," Kaiba interrupted and got off of the couch. He strode over where to Duke sat taped to a chair.

"Duke Devlin, my once trusted ally and associate. What created you to turn against me?"

Duke was slightly shocked at how Kaiba looked. _The guy isn't even disheveled from sleep and looked as if he stepped right out of a morning conference. It was hard to believe that he endured Schroider's men without even a scratch on him. The man seemed to be indestructible._

The once proud owner of Devlin Gaming Industry had to bite his tongue to find gall to spit vehemence at the man smirking down on him, "Don't even start your gloating, Kaiba. I did what I had to do. Money was always the prize. As for your wife she was just the bonus. When you left all of those times; unguarded I should add, I was the only one there to 'console' her and you can't deny how charming I can be to the ladies. You should have seen how willful she was to be with me it would have killed you but you never found out."

Throwing in that little bit about Serenity's affair with him Duke had wanted to see Kaiba's reaction. Anger or maybe even regret but Kaiba showed no trace either emotion.

Clasping his hands behind his back then pacing to Duke's right Kaiba seemed like a wolf prowling in on his prey, then he suddenly turned on his heel and smirked, "I wasn't planning to gloat Duke catching you isn't anything worth gloating about. I was merely going to ask where you keep your precious shares and bonds."

Drawing up his courage Duke spat out, "What makes you think I'll tell you just because you asked, plus do you really think I'd keep two million dollars worth of bonds in my own home?"

"You don't want me to hurt you Duke…" Kaiba trailed off his threat.

_He isn't going to do anything. The nerve of this guy, I can't let him scare me because he can't do anything to me. Kaiba may look like he enjoys the pain of others but he doesn't he just likes toying with people's emotions. _

Rolling his eyes Duke responded, "You aren't going to do anything Kaiba."

"You are right I'm not," Kaiba announced. Duke let out a breath he didn't know he held. _I knew it._

"He is," Kaiba gestured to Atemu who was glowering at Duke for his betrayal.

At first Duke felt as if he had something to worry about then he remembered the pharaoh is a tame spirit unlike Marik or Bakura he wasn't prone to doing anything odious or ruthless.

So he scoffed, "Atemu? Yeah, right. If you had brought Bakura maybe I'd believe you but the pharaoh? He can barely leave Yugi's side to do any real damage."

His captor didn't seem discouraged, "Then I suppose you don't mind if I left your sanity in his hands."

Kaiba tilted the chair Duke was sitting on back and dragged him into a storage closet and let Atemu in with him.

After a few moments while sounds of Duke's protests became apparent he poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the black marble countertop. "Duke never got to see him use 'mind crush' did he?" Kaiba mused.

It took less than ten minutes for Atemu's victim to cry out and yelled that he would tell them where it all was. Kaiba grinned. _It'd be just one more day before I can set her free, just one more day until I can rest easily with her in my arms. _

Taking long comfortably slow strides he walked to Duke's aid and told Atemu to stop. After throwing fearful glances at the pharaoh he said, "One of the safes is located behind the oven in the kitchen. If you press the off button three times it should open. The second one is upstairs in the green bathroom. If you go up to the wall and press the tile that's a different shade of green than those around it the safe will be revealed the combo is 32-15-48. Then the last one is located by the pool. You installed that one yourself and I left it unchanged so you should be able to open it."

Smirking Kaiba asked, "Was it that hard to help me, Devlin? Atemu keep an eye on him, if you can't just lock him in there."

Making a makeshift bag out of a sheet Kaiba slipped out the back door to where the pool was feeling like a thief. It was early in the morning just barely after dawn so he could tell that no one was around when he went over to the fifth pool filter almost hidden by a pool decal and pressed on it twice in repetition. For the first second nothing occurred then a slow whirring sound and a sharp click came deep from somewhere underground. The 'filter' lifted itself a foot off the ground glowing an iridescent bright blue from within. A holographic keypad wavered in front of Kaiba and without hesitation he typed in the password. The machine withdrew itself into the ground and after it analyzed the password a box rose up from the ground almost blending in with the backyard because of the giant flowering plant that had been planted on it. Opening the safe Kaiba took one look at the contents before placing it all in the bag he held.

_First asking for the vampire's help, then the crystal ball fortune teller, then getting shot at to ask for Pegasus' aid, then getting betrayed by Duke and got kidnapped now this, stealing like a low life thief all for one woman… I don't even have to ask myself: is she worth it. _

Then hurrying back through the side door and back into the kitchen Kaiba went up the oven and pressed the off button three times. The oven slid out and upwards fastened there by inner mechanics while the safe slid out from behind it. With no lock it was easily opened, he took everything but the cash itself before moving upstairs. _The last safe should hold less than the other two. I've counted to a million already… Devlin always liked his money close. _

After gaining the sixty grand Kaiba went back to where Atemu sat speaking to Duke who immediately glared him as he approached.

"Duke, because of the current situation I can't let you leave that spot."

Duke was suddenly horrified at being trapped in the storage room for the rest of the week, "What? I have to go use the bathroom at some point man. You can't just leave me here!"

Atemu stood up and snarled at Kaiba, "You can't lock me in here with this guy! All he talks about is fishing, fancy clothes, beer, flirting, and girls, that and he smells funny."

"Who says you're staying in this place almighty pharaoh? You're coming with me," Atemu looked pleased that he didn't have to watch Duke any longer so Kaiba continued, "Duke you get to watch how this all leads back to you. Serenity's murder will point to you, the kidnapping of Tea Gardener will link to you because of these papers, and those thugs will get what they deserve and hopefully you'll get off with a life sentence instead of worse."

"Kaiba…"

"Is that all you can do, growl my name? You can regret all you want later but for now just think over what you have just implemented upon yourself," Kaiba then closed the door to the storage room. Then turning on his heel with Atemu at his side they left Duke screaming and cursing to himself.

When the two were outside Kaiba handed the bag over to Atemu who asked, "So what do we do now?"

"We wait," he responded as he opened the trunk and helped the pharaoh heft the bag into the trunk. Then the two sat in the car as Kaiba revved the engine.

"Wait, for what?"

"Their call," was all Kaiba said as he drove back to where this state of affairs began.

Tea's POV (Not written by me)

Tea drew circles on the worn out floorboards, "How many more days until we all have to go our separate ways?"

The three looked at her and said, "Maybe three more days. Espier might decide to cut off a few days…"

"You never know what your leader is thinking do you?"

The three shook their heads sadly, "Nope, he doesn't tell us anything besides what to do and right now we're just supposed to wait until Kaiba gets the money and the items."

Tea looked downcast as she looked at the floor that she sat on. It was morning now she knew that much but she couldn't see anything outside of the flashlight beams that lit the place. _It's been four days…four days without seeing sunlight, starlight, or anything of the outside world but none of those matter because all I want to see is him. _

Slowly she asked, "Kotsuzuka, do you know where he is now?"

The raven haired man appeared to be in thought then he asked, "What did I…tell you last time?"

"That he was gone from Schroider's manor and drove to the middle of nowhere…"

"So far our locators say he then drove to a house near the outskirts of Domino," Kotsuzuka paused looking at Tea.

_Could it be? He went to Yugi's house…but why? Wait, he must've sent all of the items to Yugi's house and was there to pick them up._

Tea grabbed a cold coke and pulled the tab, "Then where did he go?"

"…he then drove to the museum with someone. The person was identified with multi-colored hair and…wore a bunch of shiny things…Meikyu saw him."

Kotsuzuka was about to continue when Tea stopped him and asked Meikyu, "Can you describe him to me?"

The red haired man fingered him sunglasses thoughtfully as he said, "Sure. The guy was much shorter than Kaiba was. The two were arguing like no tomorrow too even as they were entering the museum. And the guy's hair! It was so extraordinary. It was like a giant star in flames but it was his hair! Best haircut ever."

"That's the pharaoh alright," then turning to Kotsuzuka she said, "Please continue."

"Then they left the museum a few hours later…drive to Duke's house where…they would gather the money. They have been there since last night."

Gurimo the giant man with short but spiky purple hair had sat there silently listening to the three of them and now said, "It must not be long until Kaiba calls us or we call him…"

And Gurimo was right. Fifteen minutes into their game of Scrabble Espier ran up the stairs and opened the door shouting, "He's calling. Everyone take your positions."

Tea was used to this as well. All three men would take place over their designated phone and fake their voices while speaking to Kaiba. All Tea had to do was scream when she was told.

At first there was no sound then the speakers set up in room made themselves known.

"Atemu what the hell did you just do?!" Kaiba sounded furious. _Seto… If only I could see if he was alright._

But before Espier could answer an elated shout said, "You said your phone didn't work. Look I fixed it!"

"That's impossible. The phone was completely ruined by ocean water," then seeing that the phone had connected to a call he shouted, "Who did you call?!"

The person with Kaiba was obviously now looking at the phone, "I called the number you labeled as… Ass…Ass…in…s… So they're Assinators?"

A sharp intake of breath sounded on Kaiba's side of the phone, "Atemu, what in hell is an assinator and why would it be on my phone?!"

"…I don't know maybe you needed to assinate something?"

A deep sigh and then a small sound of surrender, "Just give me the phone…"

"Atemu give me my phone." Atemu obviously shook his head at Kaiba and refused to give him the phone.

"Give me my phone!"

A series of thuds and bumping sounds came from the speakers…the phone had either fallen or was thrown against something.

"Why did you hit me with the phone?!"

"Because you didn't ask politely, Kaiba. Learn your manners," Atemu turned the phone on speaker phone and placed it between them.

Kaiba just growled at Atemu and the sound of car's engine came through the speakers clearly.

"Since my associate called you I suppose I might as well speak to you…"

Espier spoke first through a robotic tone, "Did you get all of the items yet, Kaiba?"

Kaiba sounded as if he didn't speak to the phone but he was still heard, "Atemu take a picture of yourself and send it to the person who's talking to us."

There was a sound of affirmation then a question of, "Where's the camera on your phone Kaiba, the front or back…actually how can you send pictures to another phone?"

"The front, just smile at it and press the center button then scroll down to send."

"…ok. Like this?"

"I don't know I'm driving."

Suddenly the wall in front of her flickered to life. The center of the wall held a giant flat TV where Atemu was there smiling at them covered in Egyptian artifacts. _All seven items… I remembered the last time all of them assembled Zorc was summoned and as soon as that occurred Bakura and him were close to destroying the whole world. But now since their powers were used to bind Atemu, Bakura, and Marik here their powers were lost. I wonder why Espier wants them… Maybe he's found out a way to restore their powers! If that happens he could summon Zorc again… _

"We received the picture, good work Kaiba. How about the cash do you have that too?"

"It's in the trunk," was Kaiba's blunt response.

Meikyu asked, "Where are you headed?"

Atemu fiddled around with the phone as he said, "Is there a specific location we need to be?"

Kotsuzuka was about to respond when the picture of Atemu smiling brightly and waving a peace sign was replaced with a view of Kaiba driving and half of Atemu's face.

"Hey Kaiba look I can see them!"

Kaiba glanced once into the phone and saw Tea there sitting on the floor. He gave a brief smile seeing her still alive and in one piece before returning his eyes to the road. _He's fine… There isn't even a scratch on him. He even smiled…I'm glad to see that he's alright. I knew that if I willed to see him enough I eventually would have. I'm so relieved. _ Sitting there she felt close to tears.

The assassins were now in alarm, Gurimo shouted, "Boss they can see us! Should we cut the transmission?"

At first Espier was apprehensive but then he shrugged it off, "They can see us but they have no idea where we are. Even if they did know our location it wouldn't matter since it'd take them forever to get to where we are. Leave the transmission as it is, don't sever it."

Kotsuzuka finished what he had been trying to say earlier, "There aren't specific locations you need to be but stay within the country we can't have you flying away again now can we?"

"Of course," Kaiba muttered remembering how he flew all the way to that goofball's house. _I'm not even sure if that frilly lollipop of a man can protect me from that other organization even now. At least Tea's alright… They won't follow-up on their threats unless I go beyond the time limit so she should be fine. She looked fine… Who am I kidding? She looked beautiful even then in her captor's hands. Only more reason to finish this and free her from their grasp. What a sick game this had turned out to be…_


	21. Exploding Oceans Running Fast As Bullets

I know I've been lazy. But tonight I'm going to write this. But I'll take only two hours maximum writing it. There's a meteor shower tonight at 2am and I wish to share it with my love. Lying on the roof on a summer night watching shooting stars coupled with soft music playing in the background and the heaven's looking down on us. I don't know why but I've always liked staring up at the sky it brings out a sense of peace in me so please understand if it wasn't to your tastes.

I've been a procrastinator for a week now. I know...I know I'm supposed to have a good work ethic, get things done, and not be a slacker since it's very uncharacteristic of me. I just have to say all work and no relaxation makes me a really dull guy.

Review Replies:

Demented Insane Spirit: You silly woman. You let odd stories slip into your community. I was talking to one of them and she gave me quite the tongue. All yelling at me for not liking yaoi. And another one was saying that no one could tell her what to add or not. Yaoi and BL lovers scare me...I can't uphold a conversation with them before they start foaming at the mouth and baring their fangs. Proves how much I can't handle women...

I hope that you like this chapter...

Jasmin Kaiba: Thanks for finding it funny. It just proves our taste in humor is alike.

Kermita: I helped a little bit with Tea's POV last chapter and it seems I'll do the same in this chapter. I just want this chapter to turn out right. Just keep in mind that it won't be that funny as previous chapters.

KillTheSnakesx: Atemu is such an odd character. I hope that this chapter was to your liking.

R0gue Lebeau: You've been waiting for what happens next so here it is. I just wonder if it was to your tastes.

Disclaimer: There's nothing I own. I only own this plot, the situations, and this life I lead.

* * *

"There aren't specific locations you need to be but stay within the country we can't have you flying away again now can we?"

"Of course," Kaiba muttered remembering how he flew all the way to that goofball's house. _I'm not even sure if that frilly lollipop of a man can protect me from that other organization even now. At least Tea's alright… They won't follow-up on their threats unless I go beyond the time limit so she should be fine. She looked fine… Who am I kidding? She looked beautiful even then in her captor's hands. Only more reason to finish this and free her from their grasp. What a sick game this had turned out to be…_

Meikyu then turned to Espier and whispered to him, "Wouldn't it be better if we settled this now, Boss? If we wait even for the week to be over it could be too late."

Gurimo who overheard their conversation chimed in, "From our latest reports we've noticed that the Industrial Illusion's president losing grip over the third party. If we hesitate the Paradise organization could break free and attack Kaiba at any day. If we set up the location now there's less of a chance that Paradise will be able to move fast enough to stop us."

Meikyu then asked, "Wouldn't it be better to hand her back to him sooner and just get the money, the items and leave? The sooner the better, you know?"

Espier obviously already thought this all through agreed with them. He planned to wait because he considered Kaiba to take longer but that no longer mattered.

"Kaiba, after some discussion we figured that you'd like your Miss Tea sooner like how'd we want the gold and money sooner. We have a location set up for us to make the exchange. Go to the docks, I'm sending the location to your phone. Look for warehouse number three we'll make the exchange right behind it. We'll meet you there, you have an hour," with that the connection was severed.

The four assassins with Tea following close behind them left the dank room and down the stairs to the lower floor. Tea had never willfully walked downstairs before so it surprised her to find a kitchen and homey living room there. Espier started the engine of a large car in the garage of the small house. When she looked at the outside world for the first time in days she actually felt astonished to find it bathed in the yellow glow of sunlight, she half expected it to be enshrouded by darkness like that room.

Placing her hand over her eyes like a visor she tried to divert the sun's angry glare from her sensitive eyes. Meikyu seeing that took the sunglasses he had been wearing and without a word handed it to her. Tea gratefully took it saying a single word of thanks before climbing into the bronze Escalade along with the other guys.

Espier barely looked back as he drove out of the gravel driveway as he spoke to her, "Once we get on the road you must know that if you start pounding on the windows or try to escape we'll simply tie you up and throw you in the trunk."

He was about to continue when Tea stopped him, "I won't try anything. I already know it'd be useless to oppose."

She was surrounded by the guys who she spent hours talking to, sleeping besides in a creepy attic, she knew them well and though it hurt to admit it Tea was attached to them no matter how slight the bond.

Kaiba's POV

Kaiba pressed on the break abruptly making Atemu smash his nose into the dashboard. Then Kaiba backed up and turned the car swiftly around causing his passenger to smash into the side window.

Rubbing his nose Atemu turned to Kaiba but before he could say anything the CEO said, "It was your fault you wore your seatbelt wrong. The shoulder strap isn't supposed to be stuck to your back."

"Kaiba, you…"

Then deciding against throwing another argument at the driver Atemu crossed his arms across his chest and just watched the passing scenery.

"The docks, what a memorable place…"

Atemu nodded, "Is it the same place where I dueled with Joey or is it on the opposite side?"

"It's near that place… It brings back unfavorable memories doesn't it?"

Atemu simply nodded wondering why Kaiba was trying to start a conversation.

Thinking back to the time he said, "Fighting against my best friend. I knew it wasn't entirely him but still having to choose between lives… Hey, who knew that Marik would actually turn out to be a friend?"

"Friend? The guy is still mad," Kaiba muttered remembering what happened at their yearly picnic years past.

"He may be mad but he can cook better than Isis can," Atemu joked.

Kaiba looked towards the horizon seeing a faint blue shimmering line at the end of it. "I can still remember that day as if it was yesterday…"

"Really? That day where you saved Tea, Joey, and I then pretending you did so just because you owed Tea for saving Mokuba?"

Gritting his teeth at Atemu's chosen words he grunted a reply.

"Your tournaments are deathtraps Kaiba. Please don't set up another one…"

Kaiba smirked at that comment.

The roads soon cleared of most cars and the huge cranes that were used to carry those tremendous rusty iron cargo crates came into view. The ocean could be seen between the fisheries and warehouses. Gangs and Yakuza usually dealt in the area so graffiti decorated the side of some buildings, crates, and even a few docked ships. The huge crates were lined up in row after row beside the road they drove down.

Kaiba drove alongside the warehouses and watched as the warehouse numbers dwindled from twenty to three. An old broken down warehouse. It was apparent that it hasn't been used in a while. The doors were broken in and roof boards littered the floor while shafts of light entered the broken building through the gaping holes in its thin roof. Kaiba drove behind it and parked close to the back of the warehouse.

A bronze Escalade entered from the other side of the warehouse and parked a few feet from the dock itself so that it was on the opposite side of Kaiba. Kaiba and Atemu stepped out of their car and approached the other car. Four men stepped out of the other car.

Kaiba took the bag of Duke's money from the trunk and slung it across one shoulder as he approached them. The two sides were face to face. One facing the ocean the other facing the city.

"Here are the items and the cash you have asked for," Kaiba informed.

The leader of the group Kaiba assumed was the man who had been driving gave a curt nod and gestured to the cash. Without a second thought Kaiba threw the money over to the biggest henchman.

As Atemu and Tea stepped forward about to switch sides the Vanquish behind Kaiba and Atemu exploded throwing the two nearly into the ocean from its heat and shock waves. The assassins finding their location has been discovered panicked. The flaming car bathed everything in an eerie orange and red flickering light.

Espier quickly thought up a solution as he started up the car.

"Gurimo carry the money to the car. Kotsuzuka get Tea back to the car before she runs off. Meikyu look on the scanners and find out who's attacking us,"  
he ordered brusquely.

Gurimo moved quickly hauling the load into the trunk before getting himself inside the car. Meikyu rushed to the car and fiddled with his equipment for a while before yelling out, "It's Paradise they are here! They must've followed both of us here."

Kaiba struggled to get back onto the dock but he was finding it hard to get a grip on the slick wet boards. Tea was trying to get to him to help pull him up when Kotsuzuka picked her up and carried her away. He could only reach out to her with his hand weakly as she just shouted out his name and struggled in her captor's grasp.

Espier walked back Kaiba swiftly and threw at sheet of paper before him saying, "Our location has been compromised…"

"Go to this location, Kaiba. There's no time limit this time unless we call. See you then."

With that the leader left along with the bronze Escalade and his chance of getting Tea back this hour.

Kaiba looked at the burning vehicle that Schroider had treasured. A group of suits and bikers appeared from beyond its growing flames.

_Damn it Dartz! Why him of all people? Wait, this means that Pegasus failed… That unfabulous old fart, I knew he couldn't handle himself. I just said fabulous in my mind, didn't I?_

Atemu turned to him obviously trying to get a grip on the slippery planks of wood as well, "Who are those men approaching us with guns?"

"Men who the gender-questioning-bunny-loving-fool failed to hold back for me."

"Why are there bikers? Are they anything like the Hell's Angels? Wait, the bunny-lover…what?"

"No, they are just Dartz's crazed men."

Suddenly other suits came out from in front of the warehouse. They were wearing sunglasses and were looked as if they were pointing their gun fingers at the armed men to kill them. With Pegasus' suits came his helicopter. The deafening thuds of the propellers against the air got louder as the helicopter hovered over the wooden planks. A compact roll steel ladder fell out of the open side door like a lolling tongue and at the end of it the one and only Maximillion Pegasus.

"My apologies Kaibaboy, they slipped out of my grasp," Pegasus offered his hand to Kaiba.

Kaiba slapped the gloved hand away and dragged himself back onto the slippery worn dock. Breathing heavily he turned to Pegasus and said, "I trusted you to keep them at bay for a week, Pegasus. Just a week and you couldn't even handle it…"

Kaiba got up and walked over to Atemu and helped him from slipping into the ocean. "Thanks Kaiba I thought I was going to fall for sure."

"With all of that gold you would sink to the bottom of the ocean wouldn't you?"

Before Atemu could yell at Kaiba for laughing at his accessories Kaiba crumpled the address in his hand and told Pegasus, "Make a deal with Dartz or something do whatever it takes. I just need you to hold them off just until this day is through. Let's go."

The pharaoh nodded and went with Kaiba. _Without a car it'd take a while but we should be able to get there before it gets dark if we run for it…_

They were barely twenty feet from Pegasus before he complained, "My nephew hates making deals! Kaibaboy!"

Atemu and Kaiba exchanged glances. "I thought Dartz was over a million years old…"

Kaiba kept his unrelenting pace, "Maybe he's not a true relative and he just calls him that. How could Pegasus be that old?"

Atemu tried to catch up but Kaiba had longer strides, "It'd kind of make sense Kaiba, I mean think about it when Pegasus when to Egypt it wasn't fully modernized was it? There were still dusty roads and the ghost of Shadi led him to a tomb."

"He's not older than you but Dartz is," Kaiba muttered.

Breathing laboriously he said, "You've got a point there. I wonder if that funny pink haired guy is related to Pegasus or Dartz… Remember the guy from your very last tournament?"

"…of course I remember him. He tried to kill me remember?"

"I… forgot."

Suddenly Kaiba stopped and pulled Atemu back as well.

"Kaiba, what's wrong? The location is," Kaiba clapped his hand over Atemu's mouth and told him to be quiet.

They ran north from the docks bringing them into the rich and prospering homes of the rich in Domino. All of the homes in the area had a perfect view of the Pacific Ocean. Iron gates, immaculate manicured lawns, and mansion sized homes stood upon the hills. Kaiba hesitated before peeking over the hedges of the next corner. Just as he suspected a few suits were standing there in the cul-de-sac blocking their way down the street. Suddenly he heard running footsteps from behind them. Not knowing if they were against them or for them Kaiba immediately grabbed Atemu by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into the hedges and disappeared into the bushes himself.

Atemu whispered in the dark, "Kaiba, what's going on?"

"There are Dartz's men in front of us and I heard some guys approaching from behind us," Kaiba whispered back.

Finally able to catch his breath Atemu asked, "How can you tell they were Dartz's men?"

"They were holding weapons. Pegasus' men's weapons were erased…"

Atemu whispered a small "oh" before returning to look at the men looking standing around looking important.

Soon a bunch of suits passed by their hiding spot and the two held their breath. They ran up to the other men looking confused. As the two parties spoke Kaiba stepped out of the hedges and onto the lawn of the manor. Atemu followed Kaiba across the lawn and right before they could pass into the next lawn the owner of the manor shouted at them.

"Stop!"

_Shit, now the police will be sent after us… Stingy rich people and their attitudes towards disheveled trespassers…_

Kaiba stopped and turned around.

"Mr. Kaiba! What are you doing here?" The old man shouted rather loudly.

Kaiba bowed to him as a greeting and held a finger to his lips as he strode over to the man.

"Mr. Chairman, you'll disrupt the neighbors. Now, there's a reasonable explanation why I'm standing on your lawn," Kaiba tried to explain but he was cut off by the old man.

"Mr. Kaiba, why don't you come into my house my wife will make us some tea and we can talk about that new product."

_Right, like I'm going to ignore Tea and come sipping tea and talking about some mechanism that allows people to talk to each through holograms instead of face to face. _

"Mr. Chairman, I'm afraid I have to decline," Kaiba bowed to him again and was about to explain the reason why when a shout of alarm came from beyond the iron wrought fence.

"Kaiba, hold it!"

Kaiba turned on his heel to see the group of armed men charge towards the fence. As soon as they lowered their weapons Kaiba grabbed both Atemu and the chairman by the shoulder and pushed them both towards the ground before withdrawing his pistol and fired in a line, blowing apart their calves and shins before they could aim and re-fire.

As the line of men fell Kaiba shook the chairman's hand, told him he'd meet him later, and grabbed the Pharaoh by the collar of his shirt before rushing out of the gates and back onto the sidewalk. _I'm out of ammo… shit. At least this will be a good blunt object to throw at someone before I steal his gun. _

As Kaiba ran off he left the chairman staring after him wondering if his boss's secret life contained special police agent work. "This will make the headlines… I have to get to a phone!"

Atemu had slowed down when Kaiba let go of him and now he had caught up with what looked like a semi-automatic rifle in his hands.

"Where did you get that Atemu?"

Still staring at the weapon Atemu replied, "When you dragged me past those guys I got caught on this and decided to take it with me."

"If it slows you down leave it behind," was all Kaiba said as they made their way up a hill. The ocean air clung to them making them taste nothing but salt. Looking around the area for anyone that looked out of place they quickly noticed a group of people following them up the hill they just climbed over. Kaiba gestured Atemu to go off to one side while he went to the other.

The pair waited until the whole group had their backs to them before Kaiba struck out with his pistol and hit the nearest guy to him in the back of the head. As the man crumpled to his knees Kaiba took the hand gun the man had in his shoulder holster. Before the rest of the group realized one of the members was down Kaiba shot the ones standing right in front in the back of the leg under the knee. Along with taking the pistol Kaiba also procured the three magazines the man had stowed with it.

When they all collapsed he watched as Atemu wacked his opponents with the rifle as if he was holding a machete. Seeing how the pharaoh was getting a bit too excited Kaiba grabbed him by his upper arm and dragged him down the street.

_This is odd. No one here has come out screaming yet or calling the police… It was the same way when I was being attacked at Isis's house. What's going on?_

They continued north towards the more wealthy homes and manors of Domino's residents. Slowly the mansions became more expansive and took up more and more land. Atemu who had never been in this area of the city thought, "People up here must live like kings…"

Running around one turn on the sidewalk Kaiba and Atemu came face to face with a group of over ten of Dartz's men. The two immediately turned around to try and navigate their way around the mob of armed men when they heard footsteps coming from the direction they were going so they turned around. Kaiba rushed towards the crowd they faced and he shot two down when he saw a blur pass by him. The group from behind them had caught up…

But abruptly Dartz's men charged toward the newcomers. Looking back he saw that Pegasus' crew was the one that was behind them. Kemo appeared by Kaiba's side with his trusty invisible gun and nodded to the two of them agreeing to keep Dartz's men busy while they went to get Tea back.

They ran on towards Gozaburo's old manor.

Soon the homes on the side of the road became increasingly secluded as if their owners intended to be hermits. At the very end of the road sitting on a great cliff stood a mansion bigger than any of the other homes in the area. Atemu stopped walking for a bit and looked up at it.

When Kaiba took over his job as CEO he decided to live at his stepfather's riverside home instead since it was more isolated from the other homes unlike this one which was made to intimidate and frighten people away. He didn't think it would fit to stay in the house anyways since it was incommodious for just two people to live in. The house had long wasted away since Kaiba last saw it. The gates were hanging by their hinges no longer useable to close the manor off from the world. The fresh red bricks were now a rusted iron red in hue. The roof in some places had long caved in leaving gaping holes like open wounds. The marble columns were chipped and some of them had fallen to the side leaving the side of the house it supported to cave in. Old window draperies and shutters were torn and were waving madly through their broken windows like frightened ghouls in the ocean breeze.

The whole of the manor grounds were overrun with overgrown weeds and trees. The lawn was practically a forest of dandelions and ivy. The only parts left unscathed by the plants was the broken stone path that led to the front door.

The two walked up this path and past the broken double oak doors and into the foyer. The marble flooring was once polished so that one could see his reflection while looking at it but now it was coated with decade's worth of dust and debris. The velvet carpets that led from one room to another was now shredded and fringed looking like rags resting atop the dusty floors. The furniture that decorated each room was still covered in white sheets.

Kaiba's shoes clicked against the marble floors with every step he took. Atemu followed him closely as he weaved between furniture. Then past the foyer's furniture the living room opened up. Tea stood there with her hands tied in front of her. Only one of the assassins stood before him mostly likely the leader.

_Maybe the other ones are surrounding me and Atemu as we stand here…_

Kaiba wanted to say something to her just anything but he was afraid to speak because of the gun pointing at her could fire at any minute.

He pushed Atemu forward slightly, "You can have the items. Just give Tea back to me."

Espier lowered his gun on Tea and shoved her over to Kaiba. In her own rush and the hit man's push Tea stumbled in her footsteps but Kaiba stepped forward and caught her with his arm before holding her close.

Cupping her cheek in one hand he asked, "Are you ok?"

She just nodded before placing her head against his chest saying softly, "I…missed you."

He grinned at her warmly before looking up at Atemu who was staring at the blue haired man sadly, "I can't believe you are giving me up to this man. Choosing Tea over me…"

Kaiba let out an exasperated sigh, "For the last time he doesn't want you, Atemu just the items," then Kaiba joked, "Who would want you anyways?"

Atemu glared at the blue eyed man then turned back, puffed out his chest, and said, "A lot of people would want me Kaiba. …It's just hard to give up such momentums. This used to contain my soul and allowed me to live alongside Yugi. This was held by Mahad who fought bravely against Bakura. This eye belonged to my friend's father and this," he held up the rod, "belonged to him… Kaiba, know the price of giving up these items," Atemu warned.

Kaiba frowned at Atemu and through gritted teeth he grudgingly said, "I know, Atemu. I know. I witnessed a replay of the events. If the price is the resurrection of Zorc then so be it. When he appears I'll pay the price. Tea is worth that much to me…"

The ancient pharaoh rolled his ruby red eyes, "You'll risk enshrouding the world in complete darkness for her?"

Then looking at Tea he gave her a small smile and said, "It's not that I don't think you are worth the sacrifice but…"

A yell interrupted Atemu digging himself into a deep hole, "Wait!"

"Hold on, here. Are we here to talk about the inevitable end or trade?"

"Atemu, just hand him the items already. Let's not cause any problems," Kaiba said looking straight at Espier who had his gun still aimed at Tea.

"…but Kaiba, this is the possible end we are talking about!"

"Will you all just shut up?!" Espier shouted shooting a warming shot at Kaiba's and Tea's feet.

A low snarl emitted from the CEO, "Do you have a death wish?"

Espier snapped his head towards Kaiba's direction at this comment, "What?!"

Kaiba shrugged out of Tea's embrace and stepped forward saying, "You heard what I said. I agreed to your deal, both of them even though they were completely ridiculous and here you are crying about it. Even threatening to shoot me."

"Threatening? It's not just a threat."

Tea stepped in front of Kaiba and placed her hands on his chest attempting to hold him back, "Seto, the deal is already done. Espier is all bark and no bite just let him be. Let's just return home and let this all go back to normal…please."

Looking into her wide pleading eyes he nodded and backed down.

The assassin hearing Tea's comment raised his weapon again. This time Atemu tried to stop him by offering him all of the items in his arms but he failed. Kaiba though saw the weapon's point from the corner of his eye aiming at himself or Tea he couldn't tell but he knew the latter shouldn't endure it if the shot doesn't miss. Seeing the gunman squeeze the trigger he shoved Tea from him before turning and confronting the attack.

Tea heard the shot as she slid across the dusty marble but couldn't do a thing as she watched it seemingly in slow motion as he fell. The first thing he felt was his body tensing for the impact. Then the dull thud as if he had been punched in the chest, the air in his lungs was released in one breath that left him chocking he realized on his own blood. Then the pain as it tore through him. A second later the pain felt as if it had exploded and increased ten-fold. Kaiba heard a yell of pain but it took him a while to realize that the scream had come from his own throat.

He crumpled to his knees, clutching his chest, and was about to fall forward when Tea appeared by his side holding him up.

Tea's POV (written by you know who)

"Oh God… Oh God… Don't die… Please don't," Tea uttered in soft gasps.

_That's all I can say? Damn, why must I be so weak?! …he's dying and I can't…I can't do anything. Seto…I have so many things I wanted to tell you. If you leave me who else is there? My friends have their own lives but I…my life was you. What am I going to do without you? There's no one else that treats me like you can… _

She held him to her but she could feel him struggling against her, hear the gurgle of his blood filling up his lung and him chocking and gasping.

"Kaiba!" She barely heard Atemu yell scream out his name he sounded so distant.

_Seto please don't… You were the only one who held me close so that I could feel your warmth at night keeping me safe in your embrace. You kept me close to you as we watched the stars… Who else could be so crazy as to sleep on the roof through a thunderstorm? Who could laugh and dance through the rain with me other than you? I never told you but you are the only one for me…_

She ran her hand through his hair and looked into his eyes though they seemed to fade and lose their vibrancy of life.

_I never blamed you for anything, Seto. On that day we fought…I don't mean a word of that now but how am I to say that now? How can I say anything while you are…you are…_

Tea had tried to hold on to her tears and tried and smile for him but the strength to fight them eluded her and they fell. But before she could wipe them away Kaiba reached up and brushed them away with his thumb saying, "Don't cry, Tea…"

_Oh, Seto…_

_I waited for days in the dark hoping that you would save me. I knew you would save me I knew you would come for me. I never lost hope in you… This couldn't be what I had been waiting for. I wanted to go home with you. Start a new life, a new beginning with you by my side. You promised me we were going to go to the beach next week after you sorted things out at work. You always prided yourself with keeping your word saying that a gentleman's word was like gold. I just laughed at you then… Seto… I know that you coming to my rescue was good enough and that it's enough that you are here in my arms in this moment. How am I supposed to say goodbye to my heart…?_

"Seto!"

Kaiba's POV

He could see her mouth moving but he could barely hear what she was saying. As Kaiba looked into her tear filled eyes his vision blurred everything to smears of colors. The agonizing pain felt as if he had been shot repeatedly not just once. He briefly heard a loud shout.

_Most likely Atemu complaining about something…_

Kaiba felt like collapsing but she held him up cradling his head in her arms.

"Seto! Seto! Can you hear me?!"

He could barely hear her even though she was yelling in his ear. All sounds were muffled.

Kaiba reached up and rubbed a few stray tears away from her face with his thumb. He opened his mouth and tried to say something but he couldn't hear he wanted to console her say something or say anything but she stopped him by placing her finger against his lips and smiled down on him.

_Tea… I fought so hard to get here and yet here I am fighting to say just a few words to you… I'm sorry that you are crying because of me. Why is it that with everything I'm incapable of doing I'm able to make the one I love most cry? I just wanted to tell you that I…_

Tea's last shout fell on deaf ears.

…I know I know I'm late. Yell at me all you want. Being this late was worth it. You have to agree.

* * *

Ok Reality to Fiction:

Docks: Long time ago me and some random guys from school always played by the Osaka Docks. We played chicken a lot on the wooden docks near the empty warehouses and sometimes we'd fall into the ocean and had to swim back to shore or climb back up.

Running through Mansion Hill: My friends and I started playing paintball at one neighborhood and slowly we made our way up the hill. There were three teams blue, red, and gold. We would rush across lawns, get yelled at by rich folks, and eventually got arrested by guards after we paintballed them. It was all in good fun.

One of the tactics was that my team (blue) got help from the red team after a while of fighting. That's how I weaved Pegasus' men into the story; before I just thought of Dartz's men after them.

Mansion on the Hill: I remembered seeing an old broken down mansion sitting on the highest point of the hill and it became the basis of Gozaburo's manor.

Kaiba Getting shot: I got shot once. Just once but it felt worse than dying. The bullet broke my collarbone and grazed my upper lung or something like that. Terrible exit wound came out of it. The girl who I shoved out of the bullet's path was less than grateful. I'm standing there struggling for breath and she screams at me saying I caused her to graze her knees. Then she goes off on me until she learned that I got shot then she said, "Looks pretty bad but at least it hit you on the right side right? You'll live…"

She didn't help me get to the hospice, say thanks, or anything. …I limped to the hospice like a wounded dog…stupid woman. Sometimes I regret shoving her out of the way but boyfriends do that for their girlfriend right? Take a bullet for her even if it means death?

…I must be an awful boyfriend couldn't even save her right.

Review or not it's up to you.


	22. Annihilate the Passion

I know this is late but college was hectic and I'm just entering this world of total freedom. No more teachers nagging me, no more football players wanting to grind my bones to dust, and no more journalism! That and I've been working.

About this story: Last chapter had nothing to do with me. And I must say Selene messed up the direction of this story so I'm leaving this in the hands of you my readers to decide if this chapter or last chapter will be the real chapter 22! Muahahahahaha!! Ok, it's not that diabolical but I thought an evil laugh would make the sentence more complete. Now vote in your reviews.

Who do you follow, Selene or me your absolutely super hot sexy hard bodied writer? Hahaha. Wait...

Well, I can't reply to the last reviews since they weren't to me but to my angelic butterfly of a devilish woman if that makes any sense.

This was how the twenty second chapter supposed to go. If you don't like it I'll remove it and I'll keep Selene's chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing but this broken body of mine and this life I lead.

* * *

Tea shouted as loud as she could but no words could reach where he had gone. She then felt as if she wasn't the one sitting there on the cold marbled floors with lukewarm blood still trickling from her fingertips. She felt as if she were just a mere spectator watching a great tragedy unfold. Denial, disappointment, mixed in with disbelief that he was gone filled her mind, glazed her eyes. No longer seeing, no longer hearing Tea sat still trembling from the sorrow rising in her throat tears endlessly flowing from her glassy azure eyes. _Were all the days I spent with him worth nothing at all? Those times were I sat by his side staring at the heavens above, standing in the twilight holding his hand, dancing among the fireflies, when I looked deep into his eyes years ago to take the chance to be with him in the rain, taking his hand one night finding trust, and those days where we'd just sip coffee and talk about everything and nothing. Was it all for nothing besides memories?_

Heartbeat steadily rising as her mind was stuck on rewind on the moment his body was blown back from the shock before an eruption of blood exploded from his right shoulder in a bright scarlet fountain. Her heart physically ached as if missing that hole where he had been all of that time she was with him, wished for him, pined for him. Then suddenly she shook her head as if to clear her mind of the memory that flashed behind her eyelids. _How am I to let this go, let him go? Can I do it?_

All of this time when Tea was trapped, frozen within harsh reality Espier had been laughing and crowing about his victory thinking that the king had fallen leaving behind only his weak hearted queen and a knight without a sword it was a checkmate. "All it took was one shot to bring him to his knees. They all spouted about how invincible he was and look at that! Hah, was a complete weakling and he thought he could control my actions!"

Atemu stared at the hysterical mastermind saying to himself, "He never thought that…all he wanted was to have Tea back."

Letting out a wail this time of rage instead of lament Tea stood disrupting Espier from his continuous gloating on about gaining the millennium items and two million without doing a thing. She had picked up Kaiba's silver revolver and pointed the muzzle at Espier's chest. From her tear stricken eyes tears still flowed but she didn't care. She wasn't letting him leave without a fight. _I loved him more than I had loved anyone… Who would I be if I don't fight to gain revenge for him? I know that killing this guy won't bring him back but at least my heart will be at ease…_

Espier let out a great guffaw, "You think you can actually shoot me? Have you ever picked up a gun and shot someone, woman?"

Tea glared at him as intensely as Kaiba could have and growled out, "Don't try me. It's one thing to tie me up and bait him to hit me and curse at me. But what right do you have to kill him? I won't ever forgive you…for hurting him."

_Seto hasn't had many happy days in his life and now… _

"Oh, what brave words to say… Why do care so much about him anyways," then cocking his head to the side Espier asked, "You're a gold digger aren't you? I just did you a favor then."

The man then burst out laughing as if he stumbled upon the most humorous joke he's heard.

Gritting her teeth Tea steadied her hand and shot at Espier. The first shot shocked him but the next shots barely fazed him and he kept laughing.

"I told you, woman you can't shoot me. There's no way you can ever be strong enough, brave enough, or good enough to hit anything. Woman aren't meant for jobs like that they are just supposed to sit there and be a good toy for men like me."

Tea finally had it and screamed, "Shut the fuck up!"

The shot she fired then scared him so he moved slightly to the left so instead of penetrating his chest the bullet tore through his upper arm and shoulder. The sound of the bullet crushing and blowing out the back of the joint was heard before his wild cry of pain.

At that second Tea thought she had really got him. Relief flowed through her veins as she saw the blue haired man cry out in agony and stumble. But then his uninjured left arm shot up fingers clutching a black Mateba Autorevolver its muzzle pointed directly at her.

Letting out a sharp gasp Tea backed up but she knew she wouldn't be able to get out of the way fast enough so she simply closed her eyes and waited for the moment she could join her beloved in the heavens. _We endured so much together it hurts me to leave you like this but…_ _It'll be just fine if I can see that you're alright again. We'll be together soon and maybe in the next life destiny wouldn't be so cruel. Until then Seto…_

But the shot didn't come. Opening her bright blue eyes she saw Atemu pulling back Espier's arm and the two were wrestling in between each other the gun. Espier had lost use of his right arm but Atemu was still fighting desperately against the bigger man. Suddenly Espier wrenched himself of Atemu's grasp and then fired a shot at him but lucky for Atemu the guy was only loosely aiming for Atemu's head and most of his head was just hair.

Feeling the bullet barely grazing the top of his scalp by mere inches Atemu yelled out, "You messed up my hair!"

Espier already re-aimed his gun and was about to fire when Tea swiftly ran up to Espier while he was distracted and jumped above him and extended her leg. Then with force she slammed her heel straight into Espier's wounded shoulder sending him howling from the intense pain. Hopping from the writhing man Tea landed on the marble floor gracefully. Atemu seeing that this might be their chance to take down the fiend finally reached out towards the pile of millennium items Espier had left on the floor to gloat. The item he drew out from the bag Espier made him put them in was the Rod.

_Set's item…maybe it's just merely coincidence that I drew it out first. _

Quickly Atemu slid the sheath off of Rod revealing a pure gold sword. Approaching the maddened Espier who was now clumsily trying to land a blow on Tea, Atemu grasped the rod tightly between his strong tanned hands and stabbed it through the expert gunman's lower back and thrusted it up through his body until the tip of the blade appeared right under the sternum completely impaling him.

Espier writhed in pain for a few seconds before letting out his last breath as the pharaoh drew the sword out of his body. Mindlessly flicking the blood from the blade Atemu watched as Tea tenderly picked up Kaiba's head and cradled him in her lap. Watching her he felt his heart tighten. _It had to turn out this way didn't it? It just had to take a turn for the worse…_ Cursing under his breath Atemu slipped the items back over his body and sheathed the rod once again.

_After enduring so much… After hoping to see you, after wishing you'd come for me, after seeing you once again instead of just in my memories…Seto why'd it have to end up this way? _

Feeling the tears welling up in her eyes again Tea just closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her breast. She barely heard Atemu's approach even though he was wearing hard heeled leather boots. She barely felt the sun warming her skin and filtering in around her. _Is this what he had felt when he lost her? Who's going to be the one who'll help me move forward?_

Atemu let out a deep sigh and sat down beside his friend. There was nothing he could think up to say to her. _Saying sorry doesn't sound quite right… Saying a small joke and trying to get her to laugh isn't right either. So I guess I'll just…_ Suddenly Atemu saw that the wound inflicted on Kaiba's chest was steadily letting out bubbled pink froth. Looking closer and bending over the body he stared at the small gaping wound. It was a small slit, like barely a hole as if it was a little mouth and trickles of blood had flowed from it but now the blood that came from it was bubbled and more importantly the froth was pooling out before getting sucked back into the wound.

…_is he…is he breathing?_ Alarmed he tapped on Tea's shoulder and she woke from her mindless wandering among memories.

She quietly asked as if tired, "What?"

The tears in her eyes threatened to fall so before his mind told him to reach out and console her out of instinct Atemu pointed at Kaiba's injury.

Letting out an exhausted sigh as if it was an effort to let out a breath she asked, "What about it Atemu?"

"He…he…I he's breathing Tea."

Tea scrutinized Atemu then stared at the injury herself more closely. Then finally seeing what the pharaoh had seen her eyes widened extensively.

"He is…isn't he?"

Relief and wonder filled her. Just then Pegasus and his crew of gunmen came through the double doors always fabulously too late to be of use.

"I'm here now, don't you worry Kaibaboy!" Then the red suited eye patch wearing man stopped and looked at the two faces glaring at him for being late.

* * *

Kaiba woke up and blearily stared at everything in the room he was in. Everything and absolutely everything was white. His shoulder itched a bit but otherwise it didn't hurt. Sitting up he let the sheets fall off of him. White floors, white ceiling, white chairs, white curtains hiding the world outside his room from him, looking out the glass doors he only saw blurry people in white walk by. _If this is heaven it's really dull. It smells of piss and 409…wait…_ A flash of a forgotten past memory appeared before him. In it he was sitting on a white chair in an area that smelled like this place tears falling onto his clasped hands.

_This place is a…hospital! Damnit!! I hate places like these… _Quickly he threw the blankets off himself and that's when he noticed the small arms wrapped about his waist and the body curled up by his side. _Tea…_ Frowning slightly he unwrapped her arms from him and slung himself off of the hard bed and onto the cold linoleum floor tiles. Then carefully he placed the covers over her still sleeping form up to her shoulders.

Leaning against the cold steel bars on the side of the bed looking down on her he felt some kind of feeling resembling a sense of accomplishment. He did everything that he thought was right and this was the outcome. _How I live to hear the sound of her voice, to hear her say my name… _

Lost in his thoughts he had completely forgotten about what he was going to do that and he really didn't care. All he wanted was to watch her as she slept. _Her dark brown hair splayed across the pillow framing the curve of her face slightly covering dark lashes upon alabaster cheeks and those full rosy lips curved into a small smile of content, the way her fingers curled around the blanket edge just like a child… She is breathtakingly beautiful just as that midget had said years ago. How could I just blatantly label her as a ditzy airheaded cheerleader? _

Suddenly something smashed the double glass doors aside catching Kaiba completely off guard. Immediately he hopped back into the bed and hid under the covers faking sleep. _Wait, why am I hiding? ….then again what's the point of standing there to confront a doctor?_

Closing his eyes he didn't notice who had rode on a patient bed into his room.

Doctors dove right and left to avoid going under the wheels of a patient bed on the run. A white haired man sat atop it screaming, "Foolish mortals get out of your lord's way or be crushed underfoot! Muahahaha!!" Steering the bed by the use of an IV holder as if he was steering a boat down a river the thief king rammed his vehicle through Kaiba's hospital room. As soon as he was through a small barely noticeable white lump that was clearly hanging on to the bed for dear life rolled off and onto the floor.

Ryou stood up slowly then to full height he stared at Bakura in the eye and said, "You… Why did you… I'm sick and all you could think about was trying to kill us both by…by using my bed as a source of transportation? Simply smashing Bakura! You bloody well did it this time! Did you even consider the patient in this room might be critically hurt?"

Bakura simply held a finger to his lips as he hopped off the bed and pointed at Kaiba looking dead in his bed.

Ryou stiffened noticeably seeing Kaiba. _I shouted…rather loudly._

Tea suddenly sat up in bed scaring Bakura who was poking Kaiba's face. She turned her gaze towards the thief king and let out a yawn that she covered with her hand modestly.

Stretching, she then asked, "Why are you two in here?"

Then eyeing the bed and Ryou in a hospital gown patterned with sick people sneezing she asked, "Are you visiting or were you supposed to be the second patient in this room?"

"…umm…visiting," Ryou answered with a stiff smile.

_Maybe I should stop this charade already._ Kaiba decided to wake but then someone slammed his head against the metal headboard of the bed.

Tea nodded at Ryou then turned to Bakura who had pulled Kaiba upright by his shoulders then shook him side to side to watch his head limply loll from side to side. _What is Bakura doing?_

Turning to him Tea asked, "Bakura, just what are you doing to Seto?"

Bakura abruptly dropped Kaiba and placed a hand behind his head in being caught, "I was….er…is he alive even?"

"Yeah, somewhat. He hasn't woken up though for a few days though," she said a bit sadly.

Out of the blue Ryou's bed in the doorway rammed forward straight into Ryou causing him to get caught on the foot of his bed then as it bounced into the nightstand it gave a violent jerk throwing Ryou into the air to land on his bed with a flump. Atemu then appeared in the doorway with his palm before him, obviously he was the one that had shoved Ryou's bed into him.

Juggling Tea's food tray and his own Atemu muttered, "Huh, so the doctors decide to move Ryou in here?"

Tea just shrugged and accepted her food. Bakura just muttered something and stole something off of Atemu's tray when he was staring at the unconscious Ryou.

"So let me guess, he didn't wake up?"

Half heartedly eating her yogurt she said, "Not at all…"

"He'll be alright Kaiba has a tendency to survive. Oh, I tried contacting the others again but they are all unreachable… Marik and Malik are both working at the museum since Shadi and Isis left for Egypt. Joey and Mai are too busy with their children most likely. Tristan and Miho just had triplets according to the last text message I received and Mokuba tricked me into talking about my shop and Yugi the whole time. I swear the boy is as sharp as his brother only more mischievous."

Tea frowned saddened by the fact that barely any of them were able to get together. Absent mindedly she rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand as she sat by his side.

_Oh, please tell me that you're alright then can I know that everything will be alright. I'm tired of doing things that I do when I'm nervous Seto… Tired of twirling my hair between my fingers, chattering mindlessly with Atemu, checking my phone, pacing back and forth, and I'm especially weary of asking the doctors if you are going to be ok. Please just wake up and tell me you're ok…_

She looked over his prone form serenely until she noticed that Bakura was forcing spoonful after spoonful of lime jell-o between his lips just for it to ooze out. Then when she was about to do something about it Bakura ran out of the sugary treat so he began to poke Kaiba's facial features with the spoon. Raising an eyebrow in question Tea wanted to say something when Kaiba swiftly swiped the spoon from Bakura's hand and promptly shoved the handle up Bakura's nose. Clenching his fist before the thief Kaiba was about to punch him when arms suddenly wrapped about him and held him back.

He felt something warm but wet drip down his back. Kaiba pulled back his punch to Bakura and turned around facing Tea but instead of sitting before him she leaned in and rested her cheek against his chest. "I thought I was going to lose you for good, Seto… I thought… I thought I had lost you," she murmured into his neck her arms tightly around him as if he could disappear any second.

Unsure of how to act for a second he paused before folding his arms around her, one rubbing her back soothingly trying to get her to stop her tears and the other holding the hand she had placed on his chest. "Tea, I…"

Before Kaiba could utter another word Bakura yanked the spoon from his nostril and delivered a blow to the back of Kaiba's head temporarily knocking him out.

Sorry I have to stop there.  
Again if it wasn't as good as last chapter tell me to remove it and I'll set up another ending. Remember you are reviewing to vote for me or Selene.

About the hospital: I remember once when I was in the hospital my friend from the other wing rode into my room upon his twin brother's sick bed. I don't know if injuries occurred as he used the elevator to go upstairs then ride all the way to my side of the hospital. But that's what he did. Then after he entered my room I pretended to not notice he was there. But after he poked me enough I got up and began shouting madly at him. Selene seeing me get up for the first time in days was elated but before I could say anything to her my idiot of a friend punched me for yelling at him. Ending the moment I had with her completely.

Well, be sure to vote. I don't mind if you vote against me but it would be nice if I get one or two yes's. Thanks for reading.


	23. Reconstruction of the Body

OK there's no reason why I should not have posted this up sooner. There is one reason. College... I taking college courses during high school thought, "College is going to be a breeze. It's going to be easy as heck. I'm going to pass every class with an 'A'."

Being moronically optimistic I stepped into class just to fail. I'm crashing and burning while Selene's laughing at me. Yeah, she has it easy taking prep classes into nursing in high school she now can fill up her college classes with volunteer hours at being a nurse's sidekick.

I had no idea that college is about a hundred times harder than high school right now I have two 'A' minuses but I'll pick it up hopefully.

Now while I have time in between work and school I'll type. Actually I may even have to cut into this extra time with a part time job (yes a second part time job). I know you all are probably like no! But it's true my pay check, Selene's, and one of my three other roommate's pay isn't enough anymore. It's getting too expensive to live.

Like now I'm using up my dinner time to type this up, so be happy about it it's been hard enough to find time.

I've now spent most of my weekends trying to find time to type this. I've spent most of this week typing this so be glad alright? I'm using up time that I could be better spent resting. Yeah, I know. I managed to get myself thrown in the hospice again. Amazing isn't it? The hours I toil in this godforsaken place that smells like hell fucked it a few times before pissing on its face.

Review Replies:

Actually when I deleted the 22nd chapter your reviews went with it... I'm sorry but yet they were mostly just votes so could you find it in your hearts to forgive my incompetence?

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, the hospital or anything that is impossible for someone who can't even pay his phone bill can own.

She looked over his prone form serenely until she noticed that Bakura was forcing spoonful after spoonful of lime jell-o between his lips just for it to ooze out. Then when she was about to do something about it Bakura ran out of the sugary treat so he began to poke Kaiba's facial features with the spoon. Raising an eyebrow in question Tea wanted to say something when Kaiba swiftly swiped the spoon from Bakura's hand and promptly shoved the handle up Bakura's nose. Clenching his fist before the thief Kaiba was about to punch him when arms suddenly wrapped about him and held him back.

He felt something warm but wet drip down his back. Kaiba pulled back his punch to Bakura and turned around facing Tea but instead of sitting before him she leaned in and rested her cheek against his chest. "I thought I was going to lose you for good, Seto… I thought… I thought I had really lost you," she murmured into his neck her arms tightly around him as if he could disappear any second.

Unsure of how to act for a second he paused before folding his arms around her, one rubbing her back soothingly trying to get her to stop her tears and the other holding the hand she had placed on his chest. "Tea, I…"

Before Kaiba could utter another word Bakura yanked the spoon from his nostril and delivered a blow to the back of Kaiba's head temporarily knocking him out.

Tea that had been simply leaning against him was taken aback when he had stopped in mid sentence with a blank look on his face before limply collapsing into her lap. First looking down at Kaiba laying on her she wondered what just happened then looking up she caught Bakura with his palm still held in midair after striking him.

The thief seeing he was caught put his hand behind his head immediately and tried to portray innocence while plastering a fake grin across his features. Tea calmly pushed Kaiba back under the covers and tucked him in trying to pretend she didn't just catch Bakura knocking Kaiba out when he was about to say something important to her. But after finding herself clenching and unclenching her fists while trying to sit in front of Bakura for four quiet seconds she realized she could not resist hitting him and out of the blue threw her right fist into Bakura's face.

Atemu looking up from his food upon hearing the sound of Bakura falling out of his chair and seeing Tea landing on top of him decided to walk over.

Standing to the side of Tea on her knees which were on either side of Bakura's torso and her body basically leaning over him Atemu said, "Tsk tsk, Tea I never knew you as the type of girl to cheat on your boyfriend as soon as he's on his deathbed."

Tea stopped clubbing the thief king's face in with her fists to look up at the pharaoh who had an eyebrow raised while staring back into her eyes. Slowly she stood and that's when Atemu's bemused expression turned into one of fear. Raising his palms to her as a sign of submission he backed away from the girl.

"…Tea let's not take your frustration out on your friends?"

He offered weakly.

Three hours later

Rubbing his head he woke up feeling as if he had just gone through déjà vu. The same four white walls, the same place that smelled sharply of medical supplies and 409 and the same small but warm body curled against his side. His memory only reached as far back as to where Bakura had gone so far as to knock him out so as far as time went his grip on it was skewed. His shoulder and chest were still sore to the point of pain so he surmised that it couldn't be more than a few days after the last time he had woke.

Blinking wearily to try and adjust his eyes to the light of the room he noticed that Bakura was gone and so was Atemu. Kaiba stiffly got up and sat there idly rubbing his shoulder. As he did he noticed Tea still asleep. Her long dark hair felt like satin wherever it brushed against him. The small soft fingers of her hands were curled around his, gentle but tightly. A look of worry crossed her features even in sleep. For the shortest of seconds he thought of waking her but of course fearing conversation he just contented himself with just having her near.

Pressing his lips to her forehead he then took a deep breath and leaned his bare back against the cold steel headboard of the hospital bed. Trying to relax and find the dregs of sleep was when he found that his entire left arm was covered in splotchy colors. Confused he raised his arm to eye level and stared at the odd markings up and down his appendage.

"Tic, tack, toe?" He mused aloud.

There was a collage of doodling randomness all over. Stick figures waging wars, games of tic, tack, toe, smiley faces, and other miscellaneous drawings were all he could make out some were so badly drawn he couldn't tell what they were.

"Reminds me of the time I was ill for a week and Mokuba visited me every day enduring it with me. It took days cleaning off the entire magic marker mess. Easy clean up my ass…"

Then looking back down at her he wondered if she was the one to make a mess of his arm. Just then he spotted all of the markers strewn on the white linoleum floor in complete disarray then he figured there must have been someone else with her.

'Most likely Yugi, that vertically challenged imp goes everywhere with her.'

Abruptly screams echoed down the pure white halls outside his room. Tea stirred in her sleep as if about to wake from the sound. 'Damn it…'

Throwing the sheets off of himself and tucking her in Kaiba stepped off the bed and onto the cold floor. Dressed only in a hospital given pair of pajama bottoms he opened the door and stepped into the hallway where doctors were screaming and running amok. Patients seemed to be confused and frightened not knowing what to do.

He however stood in the middle of the hall surveying the situation but before he could make even a yelp of a complaint he felt a low rumble beneath his feet and before he knew it a mini rogue hospital transportation car zoomed down the hall and collided with him.

Thrown into the backseat of the vehicle that resembled a golf cart he was completely shocked. Breathing heavily was all he could do while trying to blink away the spots in his eyes. Then sitting up he noticed the crazies who was driving the 'cart' down the hallways the one and only Marik and Bakura. With all of the swerving and crashing Kaiba noticed that the cart was running down doctors who were too slow and overly fed nurses who were too big to get out of the way. By running down he meant bumping into since the cart couldn't actually run anyone over.

Bakura and Marik were whooping and crooning at the top of their lungs; yelling inane insanities like, "Run mortals or be crushed under my powerful fist." Or, "You powerless weak squirming vermin die under our combined might."

Kaiba desperately wanted to beat the two but because there were no seatbelts and since the two couldn't drive he was sliding to and fro in the backseat. Soon however the cart collided with the inner wall of an elevator. Then and there he made his presence known to the two unstable morons by roughly clearing his throat.

"Kaiba…? I thought we ran you over," Marik said surprised.

He just raised an eyebrow at the two. 'They knew they ran me over but yet didn't even stop and look…'

Marik turned to Bakura and asked, "You don't think?"

"Holy Ra, it's his ghost wanting revenge for killing him!"

Instead of getting mad he simply clenched his fist and jumped into the front seat pushing Marik aside then pushed the button for the floor he resided on. As soon as the elevator door opened Kaiba simply drove back to his room, parking outside of it and picked up the two and dragged them into the room as well.

"You two should be banned from society you are a danger to everyone including yourselves…"

"It's not our fault the world is boring without us," Bakura said rather brightly taking a seat by the window with Marik.

"I think life is exciting enough without you two running around causing scenes," he rolled his eyes at them.

Tea got up as soon as she heard them enter. "You shouldn't be walking around, Seto."

"I think I'm fine. I just drove a motorized vehicle and rather smoothly I might add."

She just tapped her sock covered foot on the floor trying to convey her anger towards him but went up to him and hugged him anyways.

"I'm glad you're alright…"

He grinned down at her smugly, "Did you seriously think I was going to die just like that from a mere flesh wound?"

Tea pouted albeit smiling within, "Well, that little 'flesh wound' as you put it nearly killed you. You have no idea how much blood you lost do you?"

"No idea at all but I'm alive and that's all that matters."

She just narrowed her eyes at him but held onto him all the same. Tea then looked at Marik and Bakura who were talking secretly to one another in another tongue. Stepping out of Kaiba's embrace she asked them, "Where's Atemu and Ryou? They went out with you didn't they?"

Marik turned to her dismissively saying, "Oh them, Atemu is duct taped to the second floor railing in the lobby. He's fine a bit stuck but fine…"

"And Ryou is in the church of the hospital," Bakura finished the explanation.

"That doesn't sound so bad," she mused.

"But Bakura conveniently forgot to mentioned that we shoved him in a rain gutter that opened up into the church purifying fountain causing him to be stuck in the locked church," Marik muttered under his breath.

Tea gasped and looked at the two with a gaped mouth.

Bakura let out a low chuckle, "Don't worry about it."

"The day I worry about those two I'd sooner jump off a bridge," Kaiba grumbled slumping back onto the bed.

Tea just rolled her gorgeous blue eyes at him and scoffed, "You are all talk, Seto. You say you don't really care but I know that deep down you don't wish ill on them."

She poked his cheek, brushed her lips over his, then before he could do a thing turned on her heel and left saying, "Stay there I'll go look for our two victims. You keep an eye on the troublesome ones."

As the glass double doors swung shut he breathed out a sigh and just stretched himself out on his back with his arms crossed behind his head. Staring at the holes in the ceiling Kaiba pondered over everything that had happened during this last week. Then peering at the tomb raider and tomb keeper he knew that then and there he had to do something about them. They might not know it but he knew what they were saying he was not an idiot.

In the Lobby

"How did they manage to do this to you when so many people were watching?"

Tea was pulling at some of the duct tape that was wrapped around Atemu's arm with no hope in freeing him anytime soon.

Atemu frowned and said, "Well, Tea. There were people here. In fact a lot of them were watching but do you think one did anything? No, not at all; they were content with just watching…"

Huffing an exasperated sigh she said, "People are more like sheep than anything aren't they? If one person doesn't do anything no one does anything."

Tea succeeded in freeing one of his legs from the tape and most of his arm but alas he was still fastened sideways to the frosted glass side railing of the second floor in the lobby. The nurses and doctors below just watched along with passersby in amazement but none helped.

Atemu noticing Tea's frustration tried to help her out by struggling to tear apart the mess that secured him.

"Stop squirming, Atemu… It's not helping," she yelled at him while tugging at a loose end of tape.

Tea was about to give in and just leave her friend there when an intern walked over with a pair of scissors and began cutting away the silver tape. She paused and looked at the man curiously until he said without looking at her, "Don't you want to help your boyfriend anymore?"

"He's just my friend," Tea explained with a slight blush.

"Oh," was all the stranger said while reaching down and trying to help Atemu up over the railing. At the same time he was helping Atemu up he tried for a quick introductory, "Well, I'm Danny. Here's my card."

Before Tea could object Atemu's weapon-like hair jabbed Danny in the eye when he lurched forward trying to climb over the rail. Unfortunately in his pain he let go of Atemu who slipped back over the rail and onto the first floor. Tea just watched this tragedy unfold in silent horror. When she finally dared to move the intern had long ago stumbled away and the pharaoh was sprawled over the front reception desk like some giant decorative failure.

Looking down she realized that Atemu would be fine, he was surrounded by doctors and nurses after all; so she ran off to the sanctioned off church in the hospital. Glancing briefly at a nearby map she noticed the church was on the third floor. Tea meandered about the third floor awhile before wandering into the cafeteria and ended asking a food cashier where it was. The bored overly fed cashier pointed outside the big bay windows to the balcony area.

Tea pulled open a glass door and stepped outside. At first she thought that the man-lady had wanted her to leave but then she came to the conclusion that the balcony was larger than it appeared at first. Basically it was just the roof of the second floor but they had decided to plant flowers here and there and put benches around just in case someone wanted an outdoor mass for about twenty or so people. Then in the middle if the garden and to the left of the ring of benches was a small but quaint church.

She walked around the building and noticed that near the back was a place where a small rain water pond entered to feed the fountain that Bakura talked about. The hole was about big enough for a grown person to enter if they submerged themselves fully under water and crawled under the decorative stained glass window.

Tea placed her hands on her hips and muttered, "How they managed to shove Ryou into the church through this way without drowning him is beyond me."

She walked around again then tried the front doors. There was barely any resistance as the doors pushed inward and let a warm musty smell of incense washed over her. The sound of gurgling water filled her ears but out of the dim lighting of the church Ryou immerged drenching wet and soggy in appearance.

"Tea, oh am I glad to see you," he said cheerfully.

"Are you ok?"

Ryou gave her a slight shrug, "Other than a bit cold and wet, fine."

"You aren't the least bit mad?" She asked as they walked back together into the hospital.

"Mad? Mad at what?" Ryou absent mindedly took a towel from a nurse who offered it to him and tried to dry his hair but just ended up making it look like some white mane about his head.

Tea wondered if Ryou truly was that nice of a person, "Mad at Bakura perhaps for shoving you in a rain gutter and locked you in the church?"

Ryou frowned, "Is that what he told you? I slipped and fell into the pond and seeing a penny I… I kind of broke into the church for a bit of donation money…"

"…they exaggerated the story completely," Tea said, "and it turns out you aren't that nice of a person as I had originally thought."

Ryou nodded as the two opened the twin doors to Kaiba's room. They found the CEO sitting on a chair reading an old hospital magazine but none of the crazies were in sight.

But before Tea could ask he just gestured back towards the bathroom where the door had been jammed closed with the use of a chair.

"I couldn't tolerate them," was all he said.

Tea sidled over to him and sat beside him.

Ryou still looked around the room before asking, "What happened to Atemu?" Then seeing the couple's expression he muttered sheepishly, "Never mind don't tell me. I'll look for him myself."

Just as Ryou had left a nurse entered, looking every bit like a scared rabbit walking into a wolf's lair. She approached Kaiba as if he was Vlad himself. She noticeably swallowed deeply before asking Tea if he was well then handed her some extra bandages then poked his bandages lightly, visibly she shirked away when she had done so. Then said, "You may check out whenever you please to, Sir Kaiba."

Then the nurse almost ran from the room.

Kaiba just stared after the aid, "What was that about?"

Tea looked a bit surprised before saying, "Oh, I forgot you weren't awake then. Bakura and Marik caught a nurse a few days back and they scared the poor thing out of her wits. Then during the following days they spent their hours frightening any nurse that came in here checking on your condition…"

"Great… I expect I'll be hearing a lawsuit in a few days then," Kaiba rolled his eyes and got up.

As she followed him out into the hall Tea grabbed onto his wrist instinctively before he left, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to check out what do you think?"

She let go of him and replied, "I'll stay here for a bit to wait for Ryou to bring Atemu back. But where will you go?"

Kaiba grinned at her, "If you look for me you can find me I assure you."

"Yeah right," was all she muttered as she swung an arm around his neck and kissed him.

As he turned and left she just gave him a wink. From there she walked back towards her friends and he walked out alone onto the streets.

The sun was sinking into the horizon and the blaring orange sky was proof that the day was near its end. Kaiba withdrew his cell phone from his pocket then at the last second stopped himself from calling a limo to drive him home. Instead he shrugged his shoulders and walked with no real direction in mind.

Upon walking deeper into the hospital it became clear to her that she wasn't quite complete without him and that if she just let him wander off he'll come upon his own insane conclusions that end up in himself distancing himself from her. If that should happen she knew what would happen and in that end she would never be able to let him go.

Tea had found Ryou arguing with some nurses. Apparently he was fighting with four of them over Atemu who was fighting against both sides. Tea not really wanting to get involve in their argument explained where she intended to go and that the person who they had visited had already gone and left.

Ryou just turned to her with a smile, "Go, Tea. If you feel that strongly then go. I can handle this."

Tea gave him a nod and left the hospital. Taking a breath of fresh air from the outside world she realized she had taken it for granted all of this time. The outside air was so much sweeter than the acrid smell of disinfectant and medication. Pausing for a while she wondered where he would go. _His phone didn't work so he wouldn't be able to call anyone so where would Seto walk to? _Looking around from where she was she immediately knew where he would go.

He sat upon the knoll and faced towards the sea, towards the glowing streaks of sunset. His thoughts muddled and the turmoil of his emotions and the inner strife clearly showed. Kaiba had long been adding up everything that had happened ever since he could remember to possibly draw some plausible conclusion, some reasonable end to this.

She had been walking up the long road of extravagant houses all the way to the top most manors until she stopped before one that just days ago held a nightmare she wished to forget. Tea walked over to him and sat beside him staring out towards the endless blue ocean.

He didn't turn to look over at her but says, "Aren't you supposed to run from mat this point shrieking and crying?"

_I haven't left the man for over fifteen minutes and he already comes up with his own conclusions…_

She leaned her head against his shoulder, "Why would I run from you after all we've been through?"

Kaiba didn't answer her so Tea thought it over as to why he thought that way.

_He said something like this to me before… Could it be?_

Tea asked slowly, "Was Serenity kidnapped then afterwards ran away from you?"

"…You could say that. Mokuba was the one… He was still at that 'ripe' kidnapping age. I got him back like always but she was upset even then to the point where she left the house and stayed with Duke for a while. If I had to guess that's when she strayed from me," the last sentence he said at barely a whisper.

_Hold on… Serenity cheated on him…with Duke?_

Tea rubbed her palm up and down his back out of habit trying the soothe him. "I can't believe she would do that… Was Duke the one who told you?"

Kaiba nodded slightly then said, "The sickest part was that I believed him. I knew that it wasn't just another lie. Somehow I think I always knew that she was going behind my back but yet I asked her to marry me anyways… Maybe there lies my fault. I disillusioned myself to believe she wasn't what she was. Perhaps I cared for her far too much to give her up to him."

Tea just closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, "Seto…"

She then placed her hand upon his cheek and turned his head gently so that he looked into her eyes as she said, "Don't think for a second that I'm going to act the way she did. You cannot compare her to me so don't."

He was going to say something in protest but she smiled at him sweetly and went on saying, "I don't plan on leaving you so don't count on me running from you. I know you Seto and I know that whatever you do, whatever you become you cannot scare me. Remember I've seen you at your absolute worst before. If you keep insisting that your enemies are too dangerous and because of them you must shove me from you I'll just cling to you all the more because you can't face the world alone forever. All I know is that I can't stand being away from you so for now just let me stand by you."

She got up from her kneeling position before him and said with a cheery smile, "I'll be at home if you want me."

Tea was about to leave when she felt his hand wrap around her wrist she looked back in question but didn't turn to meet him. She couldn't read his expression but before she could make anything of it he had pulled her into his arms and said, "Silly girl, you thought I was comparing you with _her_ this entire time? At first I was but I know that you were always better than such. Tea you already know I cannot stop you once you set your mind to something. As for being with you…

He wrapped his arm around her tightly while his other hand was cupping her cheek, "I wouldn't have it any other way so don't think for a second I'd cast you out and live my life alone. My life without you in it is a pitiful waste, Tea."

Kaiba was about to say how much he had loved her when Tea rolled her eyes and forced her lips over his.

Then and there under the dying blaze of the sun and the birth of the stars looking like endless diamond skies the two stood where one was broken now mended, where one was destroyed but now renewed with life. It was an end to conflicting emotions and many troubling times. Another past was safely placed behind them as the briefest of memories. It was a new beginning as something ignited in their veins accompanied by a rush of blood on this endless night.

* * *

Yes, fin. I know it took me a long time. Almost a year I think. I thought I'd finish this before summer ended do you remember that crazy dream of mine? Well, here I am. There is a sequel. It doesn't really have a storyline. It's more or less a compilation of failed attempts of what I will not say but it is more humor than anything. I like trying to be funny, because it really doesn't suit me. The best set of jokes I ever came up with are lobster jokes I'm just not a very funny person. It will be called Love is Overrated or something of the like.

From Reality to Fiction

Hospital Plus Markers: I spent one week in the hospital and I ended up with my friends drawing all sorts of things all over my body even thought there was no real lack of paper. I swear they are more like kids than my friends.

Hospital Car: Happened once at a very expensive hospital I was put into. My friends (how grand they are) ran me over then and tried to hide my 'dead' body in the backseat. When I got up and scared them they crashed into an elevator and I ended up having to drive back to my own room.

Duct tape: Yes this did happen unfortunately. One of them fell asleep so the other three of my friends tied him up and sloppily duct taped him to a rail in the lobby. The doctors didn't do anything they just stared as some teens taped a sleeping teenager to their working place.

Church: I know sad, I was sent to a Catholic/Christian hospital. I was there for quite a while and since the land lord doesn't like having them around the apartment without their 'chaperone' they had to stay with me. They wreak too much havoc to be able to be kept anywhere… Anyways they found the church. It was closed since…I don't know it just was. They apparently dared each other, who could use the rain water tunnel to the fountain to sneak into the church.

I remember that on this same stay at this hospital that they managed to scare almost all the nurses from me.

Last two pieces of Dialogue: I just took what I remembered from what Selene told me. Again I base a lot of what I write on what I have lived through so it fit. I tried to shove her away once because I was afraid the guys I was up against might hurt her. I also dreaded the fact that she might leave me for my rival since she was kind of his girlfriend until I stole her (I know I'm a bad guy…). Basically I twisted some words so that they would fit the story.

And that is it. Look forward to the sequel. Which should be up shortly since I already had it typed up I just forgot which disk it was on…

Hope you all enjoyed Endure One More Hindrance.

P.S. If you want the alternative ending…I realized she's a really big procrastinator it could be years before she writes it up. I hope she heard that as I yelled it out to her.


End file.
